Madden 25 controls guide – How to throw touch pass, stiff arm & slide

With so many inputs to remember on offense and defense, mastering Madden 25‘s controls is no easy feat. If you’re just getting started with the Football sim, then memorizing a few key skills will set you down the path to success.

Check out our controls guide for Madden 25, revealing how to perform a bullet pass, strip ball, juke, and so much more.

Madden 25 input guide for passing & running

Passing controls

Pass Type	PlayStation	Xbox	PC
Lob Pass	Tap Pass Icon	Tap Pass Icon	Tap Pass Key
High Pass	Hold L1	Hold LB	Hold Mid-Mouse Button or Alt
Low Pass	Hold L2	Hold LT	Hold L-Mouse Button or L-Ctrl
Bullet Pass	Hold Pass Icon	Hold Pass Icon	Hold Pass Key
Touch Pass	Press Icon & Release	Press Icon & Release	Press Key & Release
Pump Fake	Double Tap Pass Icon	Double Tap Pass Icon	Double Tap Pass Key
Pass Leading (After Pass)	L Stick	LS	Mouse Movement or Arrow Keys
Playmaker Closest Receiver	R Stick	RS	W/A/S/D

Ball carrier controls

Action	PlayStation	Xbox	PC
Sprint	R2	RT	Hold R-Mouse Button or L-Shift
Juke Left/Right	Right Stick Left/Right	RS Left/Right	A/D
Stiff Arm	X	A	Ctrl or E
Hurdle	Triangle	Y	R
Dive	Hold Square	Hold X	Hold Q
Slide (QB)	Tap Square	Tap X	Tap Q
Truck	Right Stick Up	RS Up	W
Spin	Circle	B	F
Pitch Ball	L1	LB	Alt

EA Sports

We’ve highlighted the most important controls and skills you’ll want to remember as soon as possible. You can take a look at the in-game controls menu to get a comprehensive look at all of the controls in the game.

Best Madden skills & moves for beginners explained

QB slide

The QB slide is an underrated tool in any player’s arsenal. It’s mainly used as a strategic technique to gain a few more yards without having to absorb a big hit from opposing defenders.

If your Quarterback is adept with his legs, sliding is a great input to gain some extra momentum at the end of your run without risking injury.

Stiff arm

EA Sports

The stiff arm is a great way to keep Madden 25 defenders at bay as you’re running with the ball. We recommend using it in one-on-one scenarios, as it won’t have much of an effect on multiple defenders.

Using the stiff arm input will stretch an arm out while you maintain control of the ball with your other arm. The elongated arm is meant to keep incoming defenders at bay as they try to strip the ball from you. If you find yourself running down the sides of the field, don’t be afraid to throw out your exterior arm.

Touch pass

The touch pass is best utilized as a middle option between the speed of a lob pass and a bullet pass. Seeing as it requires you to tap and let go of your receiver’s icon, you’ll need perfect timing to pull one off.

If you hold on for too long, you’ll run the risk of throwing a bullet pass instead. This type of pass is versatile and lends itself well to short or long throws.

Lob pass

EA Sports

I tend to stick to a lob pass when attempting to throw to an elite Wide Receiver down the field who has the quality to win a mid-air battle and bring the ball down. A single tap of the receiver icon is enough to execute a lob pass, so don’t hold on to the button for too long.

If you want to hit an elevated lob pass, try holding LB, L1, or Alt before hitting the receiver icon.

Lateral

The lateral has got me out of tricky situations and extended plays that should’ve died much earlier. However, we recommend using this input with caution, as it can go horribly wrong if the ball is intercepted or if your player fumbles it while attempting to secure the pass.

This is a sideways or backward pass that the ball carrier can make. It’s often used as a last-ditch attempt to keep a drive alive in Madden 25.

Strip ball

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If you’re close enough to an opposing ball carrier, you can hit the strip ball input and attempt to change the game’s momentum by recovering a fumble. The strip ball input wasn’t included in the tables above, but we think it’s an important move to have in your arsenal.

You’ll want to hit R1 (PS), RB (Xbox), or Space (PC), to perform a strip ball when you’re close to an opposing ball carrier.

Now that you’ve committed a few key controls to memory, it’s time to utilize some of the best offensive playbooks in Madden 25.