We are one week away from the release of EA Sports’ Madden NFL 26, and fresh game footage is making the rounds on social media.

Last week, player ratings were revealed for the entirety of the New York Jets’ roster (featuring some peculiar snubs). On Thursday, a clip surfaced that showcased the Jets’ new prime-time introduction cutscene for home games at MetLife Stadium.

The lighting looks pretty good, but criticism needs to be directed at the PA announcer, who sounds beyond corny and nothing like any real-life PA announcer at the NFL level (let alone the Jets’ energetic PA announcer, Joe Nolan). Come on, EA. We’ve been listening to corny PA announcers for decades. It’s 2025. Can we get some energy in the recording booth? It shouldn’t be that hard.

Alas, this is the same company that made Josh Allen’s face look like this in the great year of 2025, so I won’t hold my breath.

The Jets are not scheduled to play any home prime-time games this season, so Madden might be fans’ only avenue to see Justin Fields lead his team out of the East Rutherford tunnel under the bright lights.

It is a drastic change for the New York organization, which was thrust into the national limelight over the past two seasons. From 2023 to 2024, the Jets played six home prime-time games, tying them with the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions for the fifth-most in the NFL. New York went 3-3 in those contests.

The Jets’ only avenue to a home prime-time game in 2025 is to play their way into a late-season flex. To do that, they must start the season red-hot through the first half of their schedule. Their preparation for that journey begins on Saturday, when they kick off the preseason with a road trip to Green Bay (8 p.m. ET).

As announced earlier today by Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, New York’s starters will play against the Packers. That includes starting quarterback Justin Fields, who is looking to build some momentum following a rocky start to training camp.

If Fields can catch fire heading into the regular season, perhaps he can lead the Jets to a real-life home prime-time game at some point down the road. I sure hope he does, because that Madden PA announcer isn’t doing it for me.