EA Sports Faces Backlash for Replacing College Football Players' Dreadlocks with 'Justin Bieber' Style in New Release

This week marked the eagerly awaited release of EA Sports’ ‘College Football 26,’ allowing fans to engage with their beloved teams and even see players represented. However, the jubilation was fleeting after numerous college athletes expressed their dissatisfaction on social media over their in-game likenesses. Chris Alday, a wide receiver from San Diego State, was among the disgruntled players, criticizing the rendering of his character on TikTok. He shared a video that depicted him with an exaggerated older appearance, commenting, “Who in God’s green earth is this? This damn sure ain’t me.” Other players echoed his frustration. Alabama's D’jon Lee noted his character sported a hairstyle reminiscent of Justin Bieber, while Derrick Bledsoe from Sam Houston State complained that his depiction resembled former NBA player Xavier McDaniel. Similarly, Colorado’s Quentin Gibson remarked that his character's hair was comparable to an outdated Ellen DeGeneres style. Frustration mounted, hinting at possible cultural oversight from the game developers. Fans criticized the lack of representation in styling choices, demanding clarity and improvements in future updates.