Posted by Mike Florio on June 11, 2010 7:25 AM ET

Several years ago, the NFL granted an exclusive video-game license to Electronic Arts, producers of the Madden franchise. Some have complained in the aftermath of EA's decision to buy the ability to block off any competitors has caused some year-to-year stagnation of the Madden game.

But now, competition has emerged. Via a company known as Quick Hit. The business of which we'd never previously heard has finagled a license from the league to use NFL team names, logos, and trademarks for a PC-based football game. Multiple NFL players already have a role in the non-NFL version of the Quick Hit product, along with former NFL coaches Bill Cowher and Brian Billick.

Patriots receiver Randy Moss has a seat on the company's board of directors, and he became a spokesman for the product earlier this year -- a marketing deal obtained by his former agent, Tim DiPiero, whom Moss supposedly fired in order to get more marketing deals.

Beyond Moss and a handful of other players, the game won't feature names of actual NFL players stitched onto the backs of jerseys. As Ian Rapoport of the Boston Herald points out, the Foxborough-based company has yet to finalize a license with the NFLPA.

Though it remains to be seen whether a deal can be reached with the NFLPA, some wonder how Quick Hit and the NFL found a way around EA's supposedly exclusive license.

"That's a better question for EA," Quick Hit CEO Jeff Anderson told Jon Robinson of ESPN.com. "I don't have a copy of the contract they have with the NFL, but for us, it's a tremendous opportunity. Adding the NFL really transforms this product from a really cool Flash game to an incredibly authentic online football game. We're going to be the first mover in the space. The only place you're going to be able to play an NFL licensed game on your PC this fall is 'Quick Hit.'"

So there you have it. A free online-only NFL game. Which, of course, means that my kid will now have yet another reason to procrastinate when the time comes to do his homework.

http://www.quickhit.com/

Honestly, between roster updates to Madden 06, fantasy football, and Quick Hits, I don't NEED anything new. Of course, if Madden ever was released again for the PC, I'd buy it happily. But you know what, I'm not a butt-suck. As far as I'm concerned, EA has no respect for PC gamers, so I have no respect for them. They can * off.