TheeDavidT garners first Madden belt at Zero Chill Challenge

David "TheeDavidT" Tampellini captured his first Madden Championship Series (MCS) title belt, defeating Jacob "Cobo" William Clause 38-31 in the final of the Zero Chill Challenge on Wednesday in Orlando.

Leading by three points, TheeDavidT made a fourth-down stop with 58 seconds left, then got a 52-yard touchdown run from a virtual Josh Jacobs on the next play to increase the margin to 10.

Cobo kicked a 63-yard field goal with nine seconds left, but TheeDavidT recovered the ensuing onside kick, leading to him lifting the championship belt.

"It feels great, man," TheeDavidT said. "I mean, I've been playing Madden a long time, you know. This is like my third or fourth year really playing MCS heavily, my fifth event, and I finally got it done."

He said of his response following the onside kick, "I was (reflecting on) years of work. It was over at that point. That was it."

TheeDavidT, from Long Island, N.Y., had registered his best previous MCS result when he tied for fifth at the 2025 Madden Bowl.

Cobo, a Californian with more than $100,000 in career Madden winnings, captured the Madden 24 Harvest tournament.

In the semifinals, TheeDavidT earned a 31-23 win over Michael "Gabagol94" Lorito of Staten Island, N.Y.

Cobo got past Anthony "sYoDrip" Fahy of Coral Springs, Fla., 35-31 in the semifinals on a 9-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with five seconds remaining. After the kickoff, sYoDrip connected on a long pass, but Cobo managed to get the tackle to preserve the win.

The Madden Championship Series continues in January with the Last Chance Qualifier leading into the Madden Bowl, which will be held in the San Francisco Bay Area ahead of the Super Bowl in February.

--Field Level Media