Derwin James Battles Michael Vick in Madden NFL 20 Invitational Championship
The coronavirus pandemic has brought all of the sports leagues to a halt around the world, which has meant many people are turning to sports video games. That includes professional players from the past and present. On Sunday night, FOX hosted an inaugural Madden NFL 20 Invitational featuring several star players from the league. In the end, it would come down to current NFL palyer Derwin James taking on former Madden cover star Michael Vick.
FOX Madden NFL 20 Invitational features numerous NFL stars
The FOX Madden NFL 20 Invitational was a special virtual tournament held on Sunday, March 29 and presented live on FS1. It was a single-elimination, three-round tournament put together as a way to help benefit those affected by COVID-19.
Competing in the special event were celebrity football stars including JuJu Smith-Schuster, analyst Matt Leinart, T. J. Houshmandzadeh, and Michael Vick. Also competing were NFL free agent Orlando Scandrick, former NFL cornerback Antonio Cromartie, ex-running back Ahman Green, and Chargers safety Derwin James.
“We are excited to bring together such a dynamic group of talented individuals to help us create some much-needed sports entertainment in these difficult times,” Fox Sports vice president Joe Franzetta said in a statement ahead of the inaugural event.
“Seeing so many people enthusiastically come together for a great cause in such a short time is a testament to the human spirit of cooperation that sports exemplify,” Franzetta said.
The event helped put a spotlight on the CDC Foundation which is a non-profit that “works to extend the lifesaving work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Derwin James takes down Michael Vick in championship game
Vick was known as one of the best all-time playable characters in a sports game. That continues to remain true even in Madden 20 with his various cards that have dropped all season. Therefore, it was no surprise he was in the finals. However, the end result was surprising for a number of people.
It would all come down to current Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James against the former Madden cover athlete. James used the Seattle Seahawks. Ironically, Vick used the Baltimore Ravens featuring Lamar Jackson.
LJ8 was the man who surpassed him in most rushing yards in an NFL season for a QB. He also passed Vick in terms of achieving Madden’s best all-time speed rating. With that said, Vick wanted to put him to the test.
Vick was unstoppable back in his NFL day and in Madden. However, that wasn’t the case on Sunday night. James proved just how much of a master competitor he is at the video game. He’d go on to put up a staggering 80 points on Vick to claim the Madden NFL 20 Invitational trophy.
The tournament not only helped with response efforts for the coronavirus pandemic but also promoted the idea of eSports. They could become a great alternative to live sports right now. Quite possibly, the other suspended sports leagues might consider doing these sorts of tournaments. Take note, NBA 2K20, MLB The Show 20, FIFA 20, and NHL 20!
See more information about the CDC Foundation on the website here.
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