There is nothing more important than mastering the Madden 25 controls, especially for players who are extremely competitive and want to win every game they play.
Knowing the ins and outs of these controls will give players a big advantage over their opponents, be it the CPU or real players. It will help users win a lot of games in Franchise mode, and showcase their skills on Ultimate Team.
Madden 25 Controls
There are two control categories in Madden 25, and just like in College Football 25, they are defense and offense, with both being equally important.
Inside defense and offense, we have sub-categories, that make it easier for players to search for the controls of a specific mechanic in the game. Some of these sub-categories are passing, defensive coverage, blocking, and ballcarrier, among many others.
To have success on Madden 25, especially in online modes, it's crucial to master all of these controls, and this guide was crafted to help players with that.
Madden 25 Offense Controls
It's impossible to win games without scoring points, and that's why the Madden 25 offense controls are incredibly important to learn, and of course, master.
There are a total of five sub-categories in the offense controls, which are ball carrier, passing, preplay, and ball-in-the-air, and users will need to master all of them to become an offensive genius and dominate opposing defenses.
These controls will have an impact on all the Madden 25 game modes, and a good understanding of them can be the difference between a win or a loss, a Super Bowl title or a disappointing finals loss, an incredible late game win in Ultimate Team or a soul-crushing defeat.
Ballcarrier Controls
For players who like to run the football, learning the ballcarrier controls is essential, as it will take their running game to a new level.
Be it with a running back, or a quarterback, it's crucial users know how to protect the ball when carrying it, use the juke or spin to create separation from opponents, throw the ball laterally for an open teammate, and of course celebrate after a big play.
Passing Controls
Command | Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S Controls | PS4 / PS5 |
|---|---|---|
Free Form on Placement | LT | L2 |
High Pass Modifier | LB | L1 |
Scramble | Left Stick + RT | Left Stick + R2 |
Reiceiver 5 | RB | R1 |
Receiver 4 | Y | △ |
Receiver 3 | x |
◻ |
Receiver 2 | B |
O |
Receiver 1 | A | X |
Playmaker | Right Stick | Right Stick |
Throw Ball Away | Right Stick (press) | R3 |
While knowing how to run the football is very important, so is passing, as it offers users a plethora of offensive options.
A perfect pass can completely dismantle a defense, allowing the receiver to win many yards, and even reach the end zone, or secure that very important first down, to keep the drive alive.
Passing is one of the biggest weapons Madden 25 players can have in their arsenal, so becoming a master at it will come in handy in many situations.
Preplay Offense Controls
Football is like chess, and users need to move their pieces in a way that gets them closer to a checkmate.
Pre-play allows players to adapt their offensive strategy after analyzing the opponent's defense, by changing the receiver routes, asking for pass protection to their offensive line, trying a fake snap to catch the defense off-guard and force a penalty, and calling an audible, changing the play call completely.
Preplay is an extremely important feature to master, as it will allow players to quickly adapt to the opponent's strategy pre-snap.
Ball in Air Controls
Command | Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S Controls | PS4 / PS5 |
|---|---|---|
Sprint | RT
| R2 |
Strafe | LT |
L2 |
Defensive Assist | LB | L1 |
Agressive Catch (Offense) | Y | △ |
Ball Hawk (Defense) | Y | △ |
Rac (Offense) | X | ◻ |
Swat (Defense) | X | ◻ |
Siwtch Player | B | O |
Possession Catch (Offense) | A | X |
Play Receiver | A | X |
Despite being one sub-category of the offense controls, the Ball in Air controls are also used on defense.
These controls are very useful, as they let players choose which type of catch they want their receivers to perform, such as a normal possession catch, or an aggressive catch.
At the same time, users can also use these controls on defense, to swat the ball, switch the player they are controlling, or even get an important interception.
Madden 25 Defense Controls
Perhaps even more important than being able to score a plethora of points, is preventing opponents from doing the same, as this will make players' task of securing wins much easier, and also less stressful.
Similar to the offense controls, there are also sub-categories in the defense controls, and these are preplay, defensive engaged, defensive pursuit, defensive coverage, blocking, and player locker receiver.
As the saying goes, defense wins championships, so mastering these controls is something every player must do.
Preplay Defense Controls
Command | Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S Controls | PS4 / PS5 |
|---|---|---|
Show Play Art | LT | L2 |
X-Factor Vision | RT | R2 |
Defensive Keys | RB | R1 |
Coverage Audible | Y | △ |
Audible | X | ◻ |
Switch Player | B | O |
Def Hot Route | A |
X |
Pre-Play Menu | RS | R3 |
Call Timeout | View | Select |
Player Lock | Ls (press two times) | L3 (press two times) |
These controls allow players to quickly change their defensive strategy pre-snap, answering the changes made by the offense in real-time. Just like the offense can change routes, and call audibles, so can the defense.
Users can also change the position of their players, adjust the defensive line or linebackers, ask players to press, or even disguise the coverage, which can catch many users off guard.
Defensive Engaged Controls
Command | Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S Controls | PS4 / PS5 |
|---|---|---|
Contain | LT | L2 |
Speed Rush | RT | R2 |
Swat | Y | △ |
Switch Player | B | O |
Rip | Right Stick up | Right Stick up |
Bull Rush | Right Stick up and down | Right Stick up and down |
Club/Swim | Right Stick left and right | Right Stick left and right |
These controls are used after the snap when users are only controlling a single player, and they allow players to speed rush to tackle an opponent or cover a passing lane, swat a ball in the middle of the air, and switch to a different player.
They are easier controls to master, but that doesn't mean they aren't as important as the rest of the defensive controls.
Defensive Pursuit Controls
Command | Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S Controls | PS4 / PS5 |
|---|---|---|
Strafe | LT | L2 |
Defensive Assist | LB | L1 |
Sprint | RT | R2 |
Strip Ball | RB | R1 |
Dive Tackle | X | ◻ |
Switch Player | B | O |
Breakdown Tackle | A | X |
Hit Stick | Right Stick up | Right Stick up |
Cut Stick | Right Stick down | Right Stick down |
Blow-Up Blocker | Right Stick flick | Right Stick flick |
Tackling players, forcing fumbles, stopping ballcarriers, these controls allow users to do just that.
Some are easier to master than others, such as the dive tackler, or the breakdown tackle, but the hardest ones to learn, hit and cut stick, are the strongest this year, and if well performed, can stop players right in their track and also cause a lot of fumbles.
Defensive Coverage Controls
Command | Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S Controls | PS4 / PS5 |
|---|---|---|
Strafe | LT | L2 |
Defensive Assist | LB | L1 |
Switch Player | B | O |
Player Movement | Left Stick | Left Stick |
Press/Chuck Receiver | A + Left Stick | X + Left Stick |
The Defensive Coverage controls allow users to move players, pre-snap or after it, change their positions on the field, block passing routes, tackle ballcarriers, assist other defensive players, and pressure receivers so that they can't make a successful catch.
Blocking Controls
Command | Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S Controls | PS4 / PS5 |
|---|---|---|
Player Movement/Block on Collision | Left Stick | Left Stick |
Switch Player | B | O |
Agressive Impact Block | Right Stick Up | Right Stick Up |
Agressive Cut Block | Right Stick down | Right Stick down |
Blocking is a big part of the defense, as it can prevent players from gaining yards, and users can also use it to get past the opponent's offensive line and reach the quarterback, forcing a sack or a fumble.
This puts a lot of pressure on the offense and makes it harder for the quarterback to read the defense.
Player Locker Receiver Controls
Command | Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S Control | PS4 / PS5 |
|---|---|---|
Individual Play-Art | LT | L2 |
Just-go Release | RT | R2 |
Player Lock | Left Stick (press two times) | Left Stick (press two times) |
Route Running/Move Player | Left Stick | Left Stick |
Conservative Change-up Release | A | X |
On The Line Change Up | Right Stick flick | Right Stick flick |
On The Line Foot Fire | Right Stick flick hold | Right Stick flick hold |
Off The Line Cut Out of Press | Right Stick flick | Right Stick flick |
These controls allow users to control a single defensive player, having full control of that player, while the AI controls the rest of the defense. However, players can opt out of player lock whenever they want.
This is a great feature if a user wants to lockdown an opposing star receiver, as it can use player lock to only control the defender that is attributed to that receiver.
Here is everything users need to know about the Madden 25 controls to master them and become unbeatable in the field.
Will Madden 25 be on PS4? | Everything You Need to Know About the Madden 25 Editions | Madden 25 First Impressions Gather Mostly Positive Reactions From Fans | Best Playbooks In Madden 25