On Sunday, March 29th, one of the most electrifying, athletic and popular football players in the history of football made his appearance in the finals of the esports Madden 20 Invitational.
Former NFL Quarterback Michael Vick took on Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James in the inaugural Fox Sports “Esports Madden NFL Invitational Championship” finals for the right to be called the champion.
Folks…it was not even close!
A massive Madden 20 blowout
Derwin James put up a staggering 80 points with the Seattle Seahawks while holding the former Madden cover athlete and the Baltimore Ravens to just 16.
Now, looking back at the game overall Vick has really good skills with the Ravens, and watching him play with Jackson was just a fun thing to see because you were just waiting to see him turn it up and explode. However, James was just better in all factions of the game. Offensively and defensively he looked like he was just having a walk in the park playing against Vick. From the first series getting an interception from Jackson to going on offense and ripping off a long TD pass for his first score. You could just see the difference in skill between the two competitors.
I am really hoping to see more esports tournaments for Madden 20 for the next couple of months, and the viewership watching the tournament shows an interest as well. It was a great night and fun for all involved, even if Vick is going to have to do the walk of shame losing by 64 points.
The tournament did a great job helping to bring together benefits for the COVID-19 response efforts and also providing many sports fans a chance to see players compete even if in the virtual arena.
The other competitors who were in the tournament were:
- Heisman winning quarterback and current Fox Sports analyst Matt Leinart
- Orlando Scandrick
- Former NFL Wide Receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh
- Current Pittsburgh Wide Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Former NFL Cornerback Antonio Cromartie
- Former NFL Running Back Ahman Green
“Seeing so many people enthusiastically come together for a great cause in such a short time is a testament to the human spirit of cooperation that sports exemplify,” Fox Sports VP Joe Franzetta said in a statement after.