This is a save through the ps4 system, not through Madden. As mentioned you don't have to restart the system you just have to close the application and your progress is automatically saved.
You can use other applications and then go back to your madden game (did it last night. Played a half of madden, then played a round of TGC before going back and finishing my game, all without a restart).
You can't however do anything else when returning to the application, your two choices are to pick up where you left off or do something else and lose the progress.