Madden 21 Is Free To Play This Weekend To Celebrate Kaepernick's Return And NFL Season Start

Looking for something to play this coming weekend but don't want to spend any money? EA Sports is offering Madden NFL 21 for free this Thursday through Sunday to celebrate Colin Kaepernick's return to the game and the start of the NFL season.

The free weekend runs from Thursday, September 10 through Sunday, September 13, and presumably all platforms are supported--PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Kaepernick's return to the Madden series seemingly came out of nowhere. He is currently not signed to any team, and he hasn't been in the Madden series since 2016 when he played for the San Francisco 49ers.

The QB became the focal point of controversy after taking a knee during the national anthem in 2016 to raise awareness of police brutality and racial inequality in America. He's not currently signed by an NFL team although he has said he hopes to continue his playing career in the NFL.

Madden 21 added a series of new player-specific celebrations, and Kaepernick's is the raised fist as a symbol of Black Power that he used during his last season in the NFL.

Players can use Kaepernick as a QB for any team in Madden 21's Play Now mode. Additionally, players can sign him to their team in Franchise mode.

Although he hasn't played professional football in years, EA used historical data and other simulations to give Kaepernick an 81 OVR rating.

Madden NFL 21 received some of the worst review scores in years, including a 6/10 from GameSpot, but if you're curious, the low price of $0.00 may be an attractive option.

The NFL season begins on September 10 with last year's Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Houston Texans.