The reason Bill Belichick and Deion Sanders are missing from EA Sports College Football 26

Two of the most important coaches in college football today, Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders, and North Carolina’s coach, Bill Belichick, will be missing as part of the many faces we will see in this year’s edition of EA Sports College Football 26.

And beyond the reason for both coaches not being present, it is due to something very simple. Both Sanders and Belichick decided not to opt into the licensing agreement that allows real-life head coaches to appear in this year’s video game, according to The Athletic’s Chris Vannini. Belichick’s absence in this edition coincides with his historical absence from past Madden NFL games as the Patriots head coach.

For his part, Coach Prime’s departure is surprising, considering that since 2024, Deion Sanders had shown interest in participating in this game. Instead, Colorado fans will find “Kirk Patrick” on the Buffs’ sideline-a Level 40 elite recruiter with a spread offense, a 4-2-5 defensive scheme, and strong recruiting ties to East Texas.

EA Sports reportedly needed to secure individual agreements from every coach to include them in the game—a much more granular process than player licensing, which is usually handled through group Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.

When is EA Sports College Football 26 coming?

EA Sports College Football 26 is set to release on July 10, although it is now available if you purchased the EA Sports MVP Bundle.

Last year, EA Sports successfully revived the College Football franchise, attracting nearly two million players during early access and overwhelming the servers on launch day. Will College Football 26 have the same impact?

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