There are many ways to catch a football as a receiver in Madden 26. However, knowing when to use each catch type is something you should learn sooner rather than later. Overall, Madden 26 features various catch types, all of which you might need in order to get that first down or put points on the board. Therefore, we created a guide on how and when to use each catch type in Madden 26.
How Do You Catch the Ball in Madden 26?
| Catch Type | PlayStation | Xbox |
| Aggressive Catch | Triangle | Y |
| Possession Catch | X | A |
| Run After Catch | Square | X |
| One-Handed Catch | Hold L1 (while ball is in the air) | Hold LB (while ball is in the air) |
Additionally, just throwing a ball to a receiver without any commands will result in a standard catch. However, let’s explain the unique catch types and when you should use them.
Aggressive Catches work best with receivers with good spectacular catch attributes. Additionally, it also works best when your receiver has a man on them, but you’re confident in their ability to beat their man and catch the ball. However, an aggressive catch also reduces the chance of catching the ball. Therefore, do not use it often or recklessly.
Personally, I find Aggressive catches work best with WRs like Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and A.J. Brown. Essentially, any tall receiver with good catch ratings tend to have an easier time catching these passes.
Possession Catches increase a receiver’s ability to catch the ball at the cost of them gaining any more yards. Every possession catch results in a receiver coming down with the ball, ensuring they come down with it. However, it may cost you opportunities to gain even more yards on a play.
Typically, you should use Possession catches when you really need to convert on 2nd or 3rd down. If it’s a late-game scenario where you just need a FG to win, a Possession Catch may be all you need. Personally, I’ll tend to use possession catches with slot receivers, Tight Ends, or other receivers who were on short routes.
A Run After Catch, as the name suggests, helps the receiver maintain their speed after receiving the ball. This works extremely well on Slant routes, or if you have a wide receiver wide open down the field. However, a Run After Catch reduces your ability to catch the ball when battling with a defender.
We recommend using these types of catches when you know your receiver is open. Out of all Catch Types in Madden 26, RAC catches tend to be the ones we use the most. Any receiver should work well here, especially speedy ones.
Lastly, the One-Handed Catches return in Madden 26. Overall, this catch type acts like an even more reckless version of the Aggressive Catch Type. Honestly, unless you’re using receivers like Jefferson or Chase, we don’t recommend using this at all. That is, unless you want to flex on your friends.
Overall, that’s everything you need to know on how to catch a ball in Madden 26. We hope this guide helped you learn the different catch types and when to use them. Feel free to check out our other Madden 26 guides on kicking, passing, and more.
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