Big Sean Isn't Happy About His Edited Kaepernick Line In ‘Madden 19’

Before each NFL season, many look forward to the release of Madden NFL and the 2019 edition is no different. However, this year’s version is suddenly surrounded by controversy, with the possibility of the game including censored audio that intentionally leaves out the name of Colin Kaepernick.

Given the fact that Kaepernick filed a grievance against the league (among other things), it would be big news no matter what but, as more information leaks, it looks worse and worse. A song called “Big Bank,” by YG, is featured in the game and some internet sleuths have focused on a verse from Big Sean that features the line “Feed me to the wolves, now I lead the pack and sh*t / You boys all cap, I’m more Colin Kaepernick.”

However, that line is suspiciously absent from the game audio, and Big Sean isn’t happy about it.

It’s disappointing and appalling @NFL & @EA took @Kaepernick7’s name out of my verse on Big Bank for Madden 19, like it was a curse word. When he's not a curse, he's a gift! Nobody from my team approved any of this.

— Sean Don (@BigSean) August 2, 2018

YG has also expressed dismay at the apparent change but words like “disappointing and appalling” tell the story with regard to how the artists feel. Even without the looming shadow of Kaepernick’s name being changed, any alteration to an artist’s work would not go over well without approval and the NFL’s history with Kaepernick makes this one hard to swallow in a lot of ways.

EA Sports released a statement, referring to the musical change as an “unfortunate mistake” and pledging an update on Aug. 6 that “will include the reference again.”