Which Madden NFL game first introduced the Franchise mode?

Madden NFL 99 was the first Madden NFL game to introduce Franchise mode. Released in 1998, it changed the series from a collection of individual football games into a longer-running team-management simulation.

In the new mode, players could control a team for up to 15 seasons. That included playing games while also making personnel decisions such as trading players, signing or releasing free agents, and selecting prospects in the draft. The mode used NFL-style schedules, including alternating interconference divisional opponents, to give each season a more authentic structure.

The title can cause confusion because Madden’s numbering generally points to the upcoming NFL season rather than the calendar year of release. Madden NFL 99 arrived in 1998, while Madden NFL 2000 followed in 1999. The later games listed as alternatives—Madden NFL 2000, Madden NFL 2001, and Madden NFL 98—either expanded existing features or predated Franchise mode’s introduction.