Sunday, 8th February sees the 2026 edition of one of the most iconic sporting events on the planet. Following five months of a gruelling regular season and playoff action, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks face off in Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX.
Few would have picked the Patriots and Seahawks at the start of the year, but having ended the regular season with joint NFL-best 14-3 records, the two teams have earned their spot.
Both sides boast a compelling story at quarterback, game-breaking threats through the air and on the ground, and hard-hitting, high-ranking defences. Everything is in place for Super Bowl LX to follow in the footsteps of the past three editions – each of which set a new record as the most-watched sports broadcast in US television history. And if the game produces anything like the only previous Super Bowl meeting between the sides – the all-time classic of 2015 – the millions of viewers are in for a treat.
New England Bidding for Record-Breaking Win
Before 2001, New England had never won the Super Bowl, coming closest when beaten by the Chicago Bears in 1985 and the Green Bay Packers in 1997. Fast forward to 2026, and the Patriots are now the joint most successful franchise in the Super Bowl era.
Lifting the Lombardi Trophy in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016, and 2018, New England are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl wins. Making a record-extending 12th Super Bowl appearance on Sunday afternoon, they will move clear at the top of the all-time table if they get the better of the Seahawks.
New England’s six previous Super Bowl wins had two things in common, namely head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. This year represents the first time the Patriots have made the Super Bowl since the departure of Brady in 2019, while Belichick is now the head coach at the University of North Carolina.
The new man in the hot seat is former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel. Taking over a Patriots outfit that ended 2024 with a 3-14 record, Vrabel has helped New England improve to 14-3 in his first season in charge – the joint biggest single-season turnaround in NFL history. If Vrabel can mastermind one more win, he will become the first man to win a Super Bowl with the Patriots as a player and a coach.
But Seahawks Favourite to Win It All
The Seahawks can’t match the Patriots in terms of Super Bowl heritage. Beaten by the Steelers in their first Super Bowl appearance of 2005, they lifted the trophy for the only time when routing Denver 43-8 in 2014. Their third and most recent appearance came just one year later, when they lost 28-24 to none other than the New England Patriots.
However, history doesn’t win Super Bowls; it is the squads in the here and now which count. While it’s tough to split the sides, those setting the odds give the edge to Seattle. With offensive weapons such as the explosive Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who led the NFL in receiving yards, and the league’s sixth-ranked defence, the Seahawks are arguably the more well-rounded side. Their 14-3 record is also particularly impressive, considering they came through the stacked NFC West, whereas the Patriots faced the third-easiest schedule in the NFL.
Brits looking for a team to support may wish to side with the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, Aden Durde. Born in Middlesex in 1979, Durde’s playing career took in stints at the London Olympians and Scottish Claymores, before spells in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs.
Quarterback Battle: Maye vs Darnold
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One of the most compelling angles of Super Bowl LX is the tale of the quarterbacks. While both men were taken third overall in their respective NFL drafts, Drake Maye and Sam Darnold have endured starkly contrasting routes to the big game.
Selected by the Patriots in 2024, Maye has proven to be an almost instant success. Thrown into the deep end with a struggling squad in 2024, he ended with a 3-9 record but showed more than enough talent to earn the starting spot. Immediately clicking with new head coach Vrabel, the North Carolina native has compiled a stellar sophomore season. Throwing for 4,927 yards and 35 touchdowns, he is one of the favourites to claim MVP honours. At 23, Maye will become the youngest quarterback to start in a Super Bowl since Dan Marino in 1985.
When compared to Maye, Darnold’s NFL career has taken a while to catch fire. Selected by the Jets in 2018, a 13-25 record over his first three seasons in New York saw him traded to the Panthers. Following two underwhelming seasons in Carolina and one as a backup in San Francisco, Darnold’s next move took him to Minnesota.
Earning the Vikings’ starting job following an injury to J. J. McCarthy, Darnold made the most of his opportunity. Showing that all of his old potential remained, he led the Vikings to a 14-3 record and earned himself a Pro Bowl selection. Joining Seattle ahead of the current season, Darnold became only the second quarterback to post back-to-back 14-win seasons, and the first to do so with different teams.
Will the prize fall to perennial winners New England, or can the Seahawks avenge their 2015 defeat? Is the youthful Maye ready to deliver, or can Darnold’s resurgence take him to the ultimate prize? Super Bowl LX is not to be missed.