For the last 20 years, the game dev juggernaut EA has had a stranglehold on the sim football market. After the release of Sega’s NFL 2k5, EA penned an agreement with the NFL for exclusive rights to the license. It lasted through 2009. And then it was extended to 2013. And then it was extended to 2022. And then it was extended through 2026 with an option to automatically extend another year if EA hits revenue targets.
When it comes to playing a video game version of the NFL that attempts realism, there is literally only one game in town.