How To Use Switch Stick & Coverage Shells In Madden 25

Here is everything you need to know about the new features in Madden 25: Switch Stick and Coverage Shells.

Switch Stick

Switch Stick is a new mechanic that lets you move around on defense and guard the pass on the fly. Once the ball is snapped, you can move your defender by flicking the right thumb stick in the direction you want the defense to cover. Here’s how it works:

Set all players in a zone on defense.
Snap the ball with the other controller.
Use the right thumb stick to switch between defenders.
You can easily move from guarding one player to another by flicking the stick.

This mechanic allows you to move your defense into better positions, making it easier to cover more of the field.

To practice you switch stick skills, set up a zone drop defense and an empty set on offense, then snap the ball and move around using the right thumb stick.

Coverage Shells

Coverage Shells is another new feature in Madden 25 that allows you to disguise your defense to confuse the offense.

For example, you can disguise a Cover 3 as Cover 2. This confuses the offense into thinking they see one defense while you’re in another. The offense might adjust to prepare for a Cover 2, only to find their options limited post-snap.

How to use coverage shells

Choose a defensive play (not all plays allow this, but most do).
Flick the right thumb stick to select your desired shell (e.g., Cover 2 Man, Cover Zero, Cover 3 Cloud).