Athletes Turned Developers Fuel EA SPORTS American Football

For EA SPORTS, authenticity is not just a design principle, it is a way of life. At EA Tiburon, the studio behind EA SPORTS’ flagship American Football titles, EA SPORTS College Football and Madden NFL, the team has built a reputation for delivering immersive, true-to-football experiences that resonate with fans worldwide. 

But the studio’s greatest strength is not just cutting-edge technology or sophisticated motion capture − it is its people. Throughout the years, EA Tiburon has hired former athletes who bring real world, on the field football experience into the development process to shape the games from the inside out.

The studio’s commitment to hire former athletes has helped foster a unique culture – one grounded in teamwork, leadership and a deep knowledge of football. From former NFL offensive lineman Clint Oldenburg to former Florida Gators quarterback Larry Richart, these athletes-turned-game developers are helping drive innovation, ensuring that every play, read and reaction feels as real as the game itself.

EA Tiburon’s commitment to in-game authenticity is grounded in a legacy that began with the EA SPORTS Fellowship Program, which ran from 2012-2013. This 16-week, full-time fellowship at the EA Tiburon studio was designed to bring former collegiate and professional athletes into the game development process. 

While the program was active, fellows were fully integrated into the development team for the previous EA SPORTS college football franchise. They applied their firsthand knowledge of playbooks, schemes and on-field decision-making to shape gameplay in ways that strengthened EA SPORTS’ longstanding focus on realism and fostered a deeper collaboration between athletes and developers.

First EA SPORTS Fellowship Program class in 2012, featuring Clint Oldenburg (left), production director, EA SPORTS Madden NFL

The program’s impact was long-lasting. It demonstrated the value of athlete insight in the development process and laid the foundation for ongoing efforts to include more realism in the game. Since then, EA Tiburon has continued to explore new ways to engage this unique athlete talent pipeline and ensure that authentic player perspectives remain a vital part of how its American Football franchises evolve.

Today, that commitment continues through participation in various athlete-specific career exploration programs like the NFL Career Tour: the NFL’s professional development program that helps current and former players prepare for their future after football.

In March 2025, EA SPORTS hosted a two-day experience in Orlando, where current and former NFL athletes engaged in hands-on game development demonstrations and gained insight into the gaming industry. At the conclusion of the visit, several participants expressed interest in pursuing future roles in gaming, reinforcing the value of exposure to new career pathways – especially for athletes seeking to reinvent themselves after their days on the field have ended. Several participants also received an opportunity to interview for the EA SPORTS Academy, a new, innovative program designed to support the career growth of recent grads or early-stage professionals looking for a career change.

Current and former NFL players visit EA Orlando as part of the NFL Career Tour in March 2025

Also new in 2025, EA Tiburon partnered with GatorMade, a University of Florida initiative that prepares football student-athletes for life after sports through skill-building and holistic coaching. During a hosted event in June 2025, GatorMade athletes visited the EA Tiburon studio to explore how their passion for and knowledge of football can translate into meaningful careers in the video game industry.

Throughout the day, student-athletes engaged in interactive presentations, networked with studio leaders and gained firsthand insight into how their on-field experience can connect to roles in video game development, production, design and more. To cap off the experience, the athletes participated in a friendly competition where they worked in teams to ideate and pitch new game concepts to a panel of EA SPORTS gameplay designers.

Current and former NFL players visit EA Orlando as part of the NFL Career Tour in March 2025

“The GatorMade athletes’ concepts were thoughtful and well-executed, but what really stood out was their preparation,” said Christian McLeod, production director of EA SPORTS College Football. “The fact that they came in already having done their own research gave their pitches real credibility and impact. It was truly impressive!”

Leading the EA SPORTS Madden NFL franchise is Production Director Clint Oldenburg, a former NFL offensive tackle who played for multiple teams including the Washington Commanders, Denver Broncos and New York Jets. 

Clint participated in the inaugural EA SPORTS Fellowship Program in 2012 and was later hired at EA as an entry-level designer. Despite having no formal technical background, he steadily rose through the ranks at EA by combining his firsthand football experience with a passion for creative problem-solving. His journey illustrates how qualities like discipline, teamwork and resilience, first honed on the field, can translate into success off the field.

“It goes without saying, but in the sports world, teamwork is essential,” said Oldenburg. “The same is true at EA. My ability to both give and take feedback, work with different types of people and identify the strengths of those around me started during my time playing football and continues to shape my role today.”

For EA SPORTS Gameplay Producer and former Florida Gators quarterback Larry Richart, football has always been an important part of his life. Richart served as a backup quarterback from 1994 to 1998, contributing to one of the most competitive eras in Gators history under legendary Coach Steve Spurrier. After college, he transitioned into the video game industry, starting as a game tester at EA. His deep understanding of the sport and years of on-the-field experience helped him move into quality assurance and eventually into his current role in product development, where he brings an authentic lens to playbook design and team behaviors.

Richart (No. 18) during his time playing for the Florida Gators during the 1994-1998 seasons (Images provided by Larry Richart)

“Specifically in the Madden NFL title, we are very focused on authenticity in the playbooks. We’re trying to recreate what teams are doing in real life, and having a background in the sport helps me visualize how our plays will feel for our players,” said Richart. “Over the years, we have added access to more playbooks so that when you’re playing against a computer, you get a different experience playing against the Lions than if you were playing against the Jets because they’re two different offenses. Elements like this really reflect the type of detail we aim for.”

EA SPORTS and EA Tiburon remain grounded in its commitment to authenticity, innovation and player-centric design. By prioritizing non-traditional paths to careers in game development and involving former athletes in the design process, every play, route and tackle in the game reflects the real-life experiences of those who have lived it on the field.

This veteran insight continues to bring depth and credibility to American Football gameplay, reinforcing a philosophy that has guided EA Tiburon for years: football video games should be built by people who truly know and love the sport.

Ready to make your impact? To learn more about careers at EA, visit https://www.ea.com/careers.