The New England Patriots’ first Super Bowl appearance since 2018 will be a rematch of one of the greatest games in the franchise’s history.
In Super Bowl XLIX, cornerback Malcolm Butler sealed a 28-24 Patriots win over the Seattle Seahawks with a miraculous goal-line interception. But that was 11 years and three Patriots Super Bowl titles ago.
There will be no Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Russell Wilson, or “Legion of Boom” this time around. It will be two very different Pats and Seahawks teams facing off in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
The Mike Vrabel-led Patriots went 14-3 in the regular season after back-to-back 4-13 campaigns. With second-year QB Drake Maye playing at an MVP-caliber level, New England took down the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, and the Denver Broncos in the playoffs to reach the Super Bowl for the 10th time since 2000.
The Seahawks also went 14-3 in their first season with Sam Darnold as their QB. Led by second-year head coach Mike Macdonald, Seattle earned a first-round bye before beating the San Francisco 49ers and L.A. Rams en route to its first Super Bowl appearance since its devastating loss to New England.
Will the Patriots bring home a seventh Super Bowl championship, or will the Seahawks get their revenge for Super Bowl XLIX?
Check out our Super Bowl LX preview below.
Recent head-to-head
The Patriots and Seahawks have met three times since playing in Super Bowl XLIX in February of 2015. Seattle beat New England in all three games: 31-24 in 2016, 35-30 in 2020, and a 23-20 overtime win in 2024.
Of course, no regular-season wins can make up for Seattle’s epic Super Bowl XLIX collapse. On Feb. 8, the Seahawks will finally have the opportunity to avenge the worst loss in franchise history.
Getty Images
Getty Images Malcolm Butler’s interception in Super Bowl XLIX remains one of the greatest plays in NFL history.
Key stats to know
In the regular season, the Seahawks offense ranked tied for No. 7 in yards per game (351.4) and No. 3 in points per game (28.4). Their defense ranked No. 6 in yards allowed per game (285.6) and No. 1 in points allowed per game (17.2).
In his first season with Seattle, QB Sam Darnold ranked fifth in passing yards (4,048) and 10th in passing touchdowns (25). Turnovers were an issue as he threw the third-most interceptions (14) and had the second-most fumbles lost (six).
The Seahawks offense runs through star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The former Ohio State standout had 119 catches (No. 4 in NFL), 1,793 receiving yards (No. 1), and 10 TDs (tied No. 3) in 2025.
Keeping Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks offense in check will be another challenge for New England’s defense, which has been exceptional against tough competition throughout the playoffs. The Pats D has allowed only two touchdowns and 209.7 yards per game in the postseason, and has tallied 12 sacks and seven takeaways.
Patriots’ keys to victory
Take care of the football
As great as Maye has been in Year 2, the Patriots QB needs work in the ball security department. Maye threw an interception and fumbled twice (lost one) vs. the Chargers, and he threw one interception with four fumbles (two lost) against the Texans. He played a clean game against Denver, but he attempted only 21 passes in the snowy AFC title game. He’ll likely be asked to do much more against Seattle.
The Seahawks defense tallied the fifth-most interceptions (18) and the sixth-most total takeaways (25) in the NFL during the regular season. The margin for error will be razor-thin against this stingy Seattle squad.
Shut down Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The Patriots cannot allow JSN to get in any sort of groove. The star wideout has been the heart of the Seahawks offense all season, racking up 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those catch and yardage totals are more than double any other Seattle pass-catcher’s.
Running back Kenneth Walker has been red-hot this postseason, but the Patriots should still force the Seahawks to rely on their run game, especially with fellow RB Zach Charbonnet no longer in the mix due to injury.
Seahawks’ keys to victory
A clean game for Sam Darnold
Despite his turnover woes throughout the regular season, Darnold has succeeded in taking care of the football through his two playoff games. He has yet to throw a pick or lose a fumble in the postseason.
If that trend continues, this Seahawks team will be tremendously difficult to beat. Maye and the Patriots offense would have to be almost flawless against a defense that allowed the fewest points per game this season.
Darnold doesn’t have to be a hero; he just has to avoid giving New England extra possessions.
Prevent the explosive plays
Maye has been held in check for long stretches in all three of his playoff appearances, but the Pats’ star QB has stepped up to make big plays when they’ve mattered most.
He threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the low-scoring Wild Card game vs. L.A., then a 28-yard TD to DeMario Douglas and a clutch 32-yard TD to Kayshon Boutte in the Divisional Round vs. Houston. In the AFC Championship vs. Denver, Maye took over the game with his legs by rushing for 65 yards and a TD.
Prediction
David Butler II-Imagn Images
David Butler II-Imagn Images Drake Maye would be one of the youngest quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl.
Credit to Sam Darnold for revitalizing his career these last two seasons with the Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings, but he won’t outduel MVP candidate Drake Maye in Super Bowl LX.
Maye and the Patriots have already taken down three of the league’s toughest defenses in the playoffs: the Chargers, Texans, and Broncos. They will continue that trend against the Seahawks, who allowed the fewest points per game in 2025 but were inconsistent offensively.
Maye won’t have to put up big numbers if the Patriots’ defense continues its stellar play. New England’s D has dominated opposing QBs Justin Herbert, C.J. Stroud and Jarrett Stidham in the postseason, and you can bet the unit is licking its chops as it looks ahead to this matchup against the turnover-prone Darnold.
It’ll be close, but the Patriots have the edge as long as Maye takes care of the football. New England completes its storybook season with its first Super Bowl title of the post-Brady/Belichick era.
