Madden NFL 21 players can play this year’s installment on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The controls of Madden NFL 21 are different for each platform as well as previous installments. In this guide we will take you through offensive and defensive controls for Madden NFL 21. You can of course play the game on PC with a controller but it is definitely not recommended. Depending on what kind of controller you are using on PC, Madden 21 controls buttons will differ. You need to understand the new controls to create the best offensive and defensive playbooks.
All New Madden NFL Controls
Before the release of the game EA confirmed the biggest changes to this year’s Madden NFL game, the controls. Developers are making huge changes which means even hardcore, long term fans of the series will need rundown of Madden NFL 21 controls.
Mainly the ball-carrier controls are changing. Madden NFL 21 introduces new skill moves which the players can access through the right stick on Xbox One and PS4. Pushing the right stick will now perform a hurdle, in the past it was used to perform a truck move. Pushing the left stick now creates a dead leg moves. The player will now use the right stick movement to perform a juke while the spin move in mapped to rotating the right stick.
All three platforms have different controls but they are not hard to understand. But if you need help you can check out the list of controls we have for you below.
Offensive Controls
The following are all offensive controls for Madden NFL 21.
Pre-Play Offense
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Player Lock |
Z |
B |
O |
X-Factor Vision |
LSHIFT or RMB |
RT |
R2 |
Snap Ball |
Space or LMB |
X |
X |
Fake Snap |
ALT |
RB |
R1 |
Zoom Cam in/out |
PGUP/PGDN or Scroll Wheel |
D-Pad Up/Down |
D-Pad Up/Down |
Motion Player |
Left/Right Arrows |
LS Left or Right (Hold) |
LS Left or Right (Hold) |
Switch Player |
F or Middle Mouse Button |
B |
O |
Pass Protection |
P |
LB |
L1 |
Hot Route |
H |
Y |
Triangle |
Audible |
A |
X |
Square |
Call Timeout |
T |
Menu Button |
Touchpad |
Pre-play Timeout |
Tab |
RS |
R3 |
Shadow Play Art |
LCTRL (Hold) |
LT |
L2 |
|
|
|
|
Player Locked Receiver
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Cut out of press |
A or D |
Flick RS |
Flick RS |
Conservative Change-up Release |
E |
A |
X |
Individual Play Art |
LCTRL (Hold) |
LT |
L2 |
Player Lock |
Z |
L3 Twice |
L3 Twice |
Just-Go Release |
LSHIFT or RMB |
RT |
R2 |
Aggressive Footfire Release |
E |
A |
X |
Passing
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Low Pass |
LCTRL or LMB |
Receiver Icon + Hold LT |
Receiver Icon + Hold L2 |
High Pass |
ALT or MMB (Hold) |
Receiver Icon + Hold LB |
Receiver Icon + Hold L1 |
Touch Pass |
Pass Key (Double Tap) |
Press Receiver Icon |
Press Receiver Icon |
Pass to Receiver |
Q, E, F, R or Spacebar |
- Throw to Receiver (1) – A
- Throw to Receiver (2) – B
- Throw to Receiver (3) – X
- Throw to Receiver (4) – Y
- Throw to Receiver (5) – RB
|
- Throw to Receiver (1) – X
- Throw to Receiver (2) – O
- Throw to Receiver (3) – Square
- Throw to Receiver (4) – Triangle
- Throw to Receiver (5) – R1
|
Throw Ball Away |
X |
R |
R3 |
Lob Pass |
Pass Key (Tap) |
Tap Receiver Icon |
Tap Receiver Icon |
Bullet Pass |
Pass Key (Hold) |
Hold Receiver Icon |
Hold Receiver Icon |
High throw |
ALT or MMB |
LB |
L1 |
Low throw |
LCTRL or MMB |
LT |
L2 |
Ball Carrier
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Pitch Ball |
ALT |
LB |
L1 |
Spin |
F |
B or RS (rotate) |
O or RS (rotate) |
Hurdle |
W |
Y |
Triangle |
Stiff Arm |
E |
A |
X |
Juke Left/Dead Leg/Juke Right |
A/S/D |
RS |
RS |
Protect Ball |
Hold Spacebar |
RB |
R1 |
Dive |
Q |
X |
Square |
Truck |
R |
RS (Up) |
RS (Up) |
Blocking
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Switch Player |
F or RMB |
B |
O |
Aggressive Cut Block |
S |
RS (Down) |
RS (Down) |
Aggressive Impact Block |
W |
RS (Up) |
RS (Up) |
Player Lock |
Z |
Double tap L3 |
Double Tap L3 |
Ball in air Offense
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Sprint |
LSHIFT or RMB |
RT |
R2 |
Aggressive Catch |
R |
Y |
Triangle |
Possession Catch |
E |
A |
X |
Switch Player |
G or RMB |
B |
O |
Defensive Assist |
ALT (Hold) |
LB |
L1 |
Strafe |
LCTRL or LMB |
LT |
L2 |
RAC Catch |
Q |
X |
Square |
Defensive Controls
The following are all defensive controls for Madden NFL 21.
Pre-play Defense
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Linebacker Audible |
END |
Right D-pad |
Right D-pad |
Pre-play Menu |
Tab |
R3 |
R3 |
Call Timeout |
T |
Menu Button |
Touchpad |
Show Play Art |
LCTRL |
LT (Hold) |
L2 (Hold) |
Coverage Audibles |
C |
Y |
Triangle |
Defensive Keys |
P |
LB |
L2 |
X-Factor Vision |
LSHIFT (Hold) or RMB |
RT |
R2 |
Ball in Air Defense
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Defensive Assist |
ALT (Hold) |
LB |
L1 |
Strafe |
LCTRL or LMB |
LT |
L2 |
Ball Hawk |
R |
T |
Triangle |
Swat Ball |
Q |
X |
Square |
Play Receiver |
E |
B |
O |
Defensive (Pursuit)
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Breakdown Tackle |
E |
A |
X |
Switch Player |
F or MMB |
B |
O |
Dive Tackle |
Q |
X |
Square |
Defensive Assist |
ALT (Hold) |
LB |
L1 |
Strip Ball |
Spacebar |
RB |
R1 |
Strafe |
LCTRL or LMB |
LT |
L2 |
Sprint |
LSHIFT or RMB |
RT |
R2 |
Hit Stick |
W |
RS (Flick Up) |
RS (Up) |
Cut Stick |
S |
RS (Flick Down) |
RS (Down) |
Defensive (Engaged)
Controls |
PC |
Xbox One |
PS4 |
Switch Player |
F or MMB |
B |
O |
Swat |
R |
Y |
Triangle |
Contain |
LCTRL or LMB |
LT |
L2 |
Speed Rush |
LSHIFT (Hold) or RMB |
RT |
R2 |
Rip |
W |
RS (Up) |
RS (Up) |
Ball Rush |
S |
RS (Down) |
RS (Down) |
Club /Swim (Right/ Left) |
D/A |
RS (Right/Left) |
RS (Right/Left) |
If you need more help with Madden NFL 21 check out the Wiki page.