The Seahawks' victory was their second and first since 2013's Super Bowl XLVIII during their Legion of Boom era. Finishing the season with a 14–3 record and the NFC's top seed, they were making their fourth appearance. The Patriots, who finished with a 14–3 record and the AFC's second seed, extended their record of appearances to 12. They were seeking a record seventh title and their first since the Brady–Belichick era after last winning 2018's Super Bowl LIII. The two franchises previously met in Super Bowl XLIX, which was won by the Patriots.
The game was largely a defensive battle until the fourth quarter saw the first offensive scoring with touchdowns. This was the fifth Super Bowl to not have a touchdown in the first half of the game[a] and the second to not have a touchdown scored in the first three quarters.[b] With the loss, the Patriots became the first team to lose six Super Bowls. Running back Kenneth Walker III was named Super Bowl MVP after rushing for 135 yards and helping set up several of Seattle's field goals. He was the first running back to win the award since Terrell Davis in 1997's Super Bowl XXXII.
The NFL has made all decisions regarding hosting sites since organizing Super Bowl LVII, at which point they removed the bidding process. The new process meant that potential hosts would put together a proposal, with the league owners then voting to determine viability.[6]
As has been a tradition since Super Bowl LVI, the logo includes Roman numerals featuring imagery from the host city/region. For Super Bowl LX, the logo was revealed on February 9, 2025, in a social media post by game broadcaster NBC Sports following the conclusion of Super Bowl LIX,[8] ahead of a formal unveiling at a post-game press conference in New Orleans the next day.[9] The Roman numerals have a CMYK theme, incorporating Bay Area landmarks such as the San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, and redwood trees.[9]
In October 2025, it was announced that the 2026 Pro Bowl Games would be held on the Tuesday prior to the Super Bowl, February 3, at the Moscone Center, downsizing the event and integrating it into the Super Bowl's festivities.[10]
The Seattle Seahawks finished the 2025 season with a 14–3 record under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald.[11] This was their fourth appearance, having last won 2013's Super Bowl XLVIII and last appeared in Super Bowl XLIX the following year, both during their Legion of Boom era.[12]
Following back-to-back years of narrowly missing the playoffs, the Seahawks sought to retain two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith for the 2025 season, but a contract dispute led to them trading Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.[13][14] The same day as Smith's trade, Seattle signed free agent quarterback Sam Darnold, who was coming off a breakout season with the Minnesota Vikings after seven years in the league.[15][16][17] The Seahawks made further changes to the offense by parting ways with veteran wide receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf by release and a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively.[18][19][20] New wide receivers included Cooper Kupp, the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl LVI MVP, who was signed in free agency after being released by the Los Angeles Rams.[21][22] The day of the NFL trade deadline, the Seahawks acquired Pro Bowl wide receiver Rashid Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints.[23] On defense, the Seahawks signed four-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency after he missed most of the 2024 season with the Dallas Cowboys due to a foot injury.[24][25]
Seattle's offense improved from 14th in yards and 18th in points to eighth in yards and third in points.[26][27] Darnold received a second Pro Bowl selection after throwing for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns, along with having a career-high completion percentage of 67.7%, although he also led the league in fumbles at 11 and turnovers at 20.[28][29] Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the league's receiving yards leader at 1,793, earning him Offensive Player of the Year, along with Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors.[30][31][32] He also led the team in receiving touchdowns at 10.[33] The rushing game was led by running backs Kenneth Walker, who was Seattle's leading rusher at 1,027 yards and scored five touchdowns, and Zach Charbonnet, who led the Seahawks in rushing touchdowns at 12 and had 730 yards.[34]
The Seahawks had the top scoring defense, previously ranking 12th, and were sixth in yards, previously ranking 14th.[35][36] Earning both Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors was defensive end Leonard Williams, who had 62 tackles.[32] Williams and defensive tackle Byron Murphy II both led the team in sacks at 7 each, with Murphy adding another 62 tackles.[37] Cornerback Devon Witherspoon also received Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors after recording 72 tackles.[38] Linebacker Ernest Jones was the team leader in tackles at 126 and interceptions at five, earning him a second-team All-Pro selection.[32] Also named to the Pro Bowl was Lawrence, who had 53 tackles and 6 sacks.[29] On special teams, Shaheed was the only player in the league to score both a kick return touchdown and a punt return touchdown, earning him Pro Bowl honors as a kick returner.[29] Punter Michael Dickson, who had the sixth-longest punt average at 49.9, received a second-team All-Pro selection.[32]
Mike Vrabel won three Super Bowls with the Patriots as a player before becoming their head coach
The New England Patriots finished the 2025 season with a 14–3 record under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel.[39] This was their 12th appearance, extending their record for the most in NFL history.[40] They won a record six Super Bowls[c] during the franchise's dynasty under the leadership of quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, concluding with a victory in 2018's Super Bowl LIII.[41]
By 2025, the Patriots had regressed to one of the worst teams in the league, finishing the past two seasons with a 4–13 record at the bottom of the AFC East.[42] During this period, they selected quarterback Drake Maye third overall in the 2024 NFL draft, who earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie despite the team's struggles.[43] Following coaching turnover, New England hired Vrabel, the 2021 Coach of the Year with the Tennessee Titans, who played for the Patriots when they won their first three Super Bowls.[44]Josh McDaniels also rejoined the Patriots as offensive coordinator for the third time, previously holding the position from 2006 to 2008 and from 2012 to 2021.[45] To help improve the offense, New England signed four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who was returning from an ACL injury he suffered the past year with the Houston Texans.[46][47] New England also took running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft.[48] Defensive acquisitions included linebacker Robert Spillane following a career season with the Las Vegas Raiders and linebacker Harold Landry after he was released by the Titans.[49][50][51]
The season saw New England's offense go from 31st in yards and 30th in points to third in yards and second in points.[26][27] Maye threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns, both of which led the AFC, while leading the league in completion percentage at 72% and passer rating at 113.5.[52] He also rushed for 450 yards and four touchdowns.[53] Maye received Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors, in addition to placing second in Most Valuable Player voting.[54][55][56] Diggs led the team in receiving yards at 1,013 and scored four receiving touchdowns.[57][58] Tight end Hunter Henry scored seven receiving touchdowns, the most on the Patriots, while obtaining 768 receiving yards.[59] Henderson was the team's leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns at 911 and nine, respectively.[60] For his role in rebuilding the offense, McDaniels won Assistant Coach of the Year.[30]
New England's defense went from 22nd in yards and points to eighth in yards and fourth in points.[35][36] Named to the Pro Bowl was cornerback Christian Gonzalez, with 69 tackles.[54][61] Spillane led the team with 97 tackles while also recording two interceptions.[62] Along with having 49 tackles, Landry was the team's leader in sacks at 8.5.[63] Safety Jaylinn Hawkins led the Patriots in interceptions at four, in addition to having 71 tackles.[64] Cornerback Marcus Jones, who had 65 tackles, earned second-team All-Pro honors as a punt returner after scoring two punt return touchdowns, the most in the league.[55] Vrabel was named Coach of the Year a second time following the team's turnaround from the past two seasons.[30]
The Seahawks, as the NFC's No. 1 seed, earned a bye in the Wild Card Round.[65] Despite Darnold dealing with an injured oblique and losing Charbonnet to an ACL injury during the game, they handily beat their NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers 41–6 in the Divisional Round.[66] Seattle faced another divisional rival, the Los Angeles Rams, in the NFC Championship Game. After splitting two close contests in the regular season, including an overtime matchup, Seattle emerged victorious over the Rams in another one-score game, 31–27, to advance to their first Super Bowl in 11 years.[67] With the victory, the Seahawks continued their streak of making the Super Bowl every year they held the NFC's top seed.[68]
The Patriots, the AFC's No. 2 seed, defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 16–3 in the Wild Card Round, the team's first playoff win since 2018.[69] In the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans, they recorded five turnovers, including four interceptions, to secure the 28–16 victory.[70] The AFC Championship Game pitted the Patriots against the top seeded Denver Broncos, who were starting backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham after starter Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury in the previous round; an overtime victory against the Buffalo Bills.[71] Amid snow conditions from the 3rd quarter onwards, the Patriots won 10–7 to reach their 12th Super Bowl.[72][73] Having won all eight of their regular season road games, the AFC Championship victory made the Patriots the first team to be undefeated in nine road games.[74] They also became the first team to defeat three top five defenses in a single postseason.[75]
Pre-game notes
The two franchises previously met in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, in which the Patriots defeated the Seahawks 28–24.[76] No players have remained on either team since that Super Bowl, with McDaniels being the only coach to appear in both games.[45] Seahawks general manager John Schneider is the first NFL general manager to reach multiple Super Bowls with a different roster and head coach.[77][78]
This was the first Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXVIII to feature two teams that missed the playoffs the previous season.[79] It was also the most unlikely Super Bowl matchup in at least 50 years based on preseason odds, with Seattle 60–1 to win the Super Bowl and New England 80–1.[80]
At 23 years and 162 days of age, Maye was the second-youngest quarterback to start in a Super Bowl after Dan Marino, who was 23 years and 127 days old when he started in Super Bowl XIX.[81]
As the designated home team in the annual rotation between the two conferences, the Patriots chose to wear white away jerseys and white pants. They were the first home team to wear white since the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.[82] The Seahawks wore navy blue home jerseys and navy blue pants.[83] This marked the first time in which both Super Bowl participants wore monochromatic uniforms.[84] In addition to the customary Super Bowl patch, the jerseys of both teams featured a USA 250 patch in recognition of the United States Semiquincentennial.[85]
Hall of Famers and Super Bowl winning players Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, and Lynn Swann were honorary captains for the coin toss.[87] The coin used was a modern restrike of a silver medal called the Libertas Americana, commissioned by Benjamin Franklin, also a tie-in to the United States Semiquincentennial.[88]
Game summary
First half
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers scored a Super Bowl record five field goals.
The Patriots won the coin toss and deferred their choice to the second half; Seattle chose to take the ball. The Seahawks drove down the field inside the Patriots' 20-yard line, including a 23-yard pass to Cooper Kupp, but they failed to score a touchdown in the red zone.[89] With their first possession, the Seahawks scored a 33-yard field goal. The Patriots then began their first drive on the 28-yard line after running back D'Ernest Johnson returned Jason Myers's kickoff for 28 yards, and while New England advanced to Seattle's 49-yard line, they were ultimately forced to punt shortly after quarterback Drake Maye was sacked for a loss of 10 yards by Derick Hall and could not convert on third and 11.[89] After two straight drives by each team ended with punts, Jason Myers kicked a 39-yard field goal after Seattle drove down the field with 30-yard and 29-yard runs by Kenneth Walker III.[89] After three more drives ended with punts, Seattle added another field goal from 41 yards by Myers with 11 seconds left in the first half.[89] The half ended on a kneel down by Maye to run out the clock.[89]
Second half
In the third quarter, after the Patriots opened with a three-and-out, the Seahawks put together a 10-play, 69-yard drive that included a 20-yard pass to Walker and 16-yard passes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed; it ended with Myers kicking his fourth field goal from 41 yards to give the Seahawks a 12–0 lead.[89] After four straight drives ended in punts, the Patriots fumbled after Maye was strip-sacked by Hall, which was recovered by Byron Murphy II at the New England's 37-yard line.[89][90] Following the turnover, the Seahawks converted on a third and 9 with a Darnold pass to Kupp as the fourth quarter began and Darnold threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Barner, extending Seattle's lead to 19–0.[89][91] The Patriots' next drive was a 3-play, 65-yard drive that included a 24-yard pass and a 35-yard touchdown pass to Mack Hollins, cutting Seattle's lead to 19–7.[89] The Seahawks' next drive started with a 11-yard pass from Darnold to Shaheed, but ended with a punt by Michael Dickson that was downed at New England's 4-yard line by Velus Jones Jr.[89] Maye began New England's next offensive drive with a 13-yard pass to Rhamondre Stevenson and a 16-yard run, but after throwing a 7-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams, he threw an interception to Seattle safety Julian Love, who returned it 35 yards to New England's 38-yard line.[89][92] After Walker rushed for 24 yards on the next two plays, the Seahawks' offensive drive following the turnover ended on Myers scoring a record fifth field goal from 26 yards to increase Seattle's lead to 22–7.[89] The Seahawks' defense added to the scoring with an interception for a touchdown by linebacker Uchenna Nwosu after Devon Witherspoon pressured[93] Maye on a cornerback blitz play, allowing Nwosu to return the ball 45 yards, increasing their lead to 29–7 and effectively clinched Seattle's second Lombardi Trophy with 4:27 left to play.[89][94] The Patriots finally responded with a Maye pass to running back Rhamondre Stevenson for a touchdown, however the corresponding two-point conversion pass to tight end Hunter Henry fell incomplete just before the two-minute warning.[95][89] An onside kick by New England was recovered by the Seahawks' George Holani, and an offensive holding penalty on Seattle center Jalen Sundell both nullified a Walker 49-yard touchdown run and pushed them back 10 yards, forcing them to punt just after the two-minute warning.[89][96] The game ended with a 24-yard pass from Maye to running back TreVeyon Henderson, with the clock subsequently running out.[89]
Post-game
Kenneth Walker III was awarded the MVP, based on his 135 rushing yards on 27 carries.[97]
The Seattle defense was widely credited for their performance in a largely defensive game.[98]
Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny headlined the Super Bowl LX halftime show.[114] According to NFL executives, the selection helped fulfill a key business objective: growing the league's international and Latino audience.[115] NFL Senior Vice President Marissa Solis told ESPN that the league identified the U.S. Latino population, a community of more than 70 million people, as a "critical growth area."[115] As of 2024, the league reported over 39 million Latino fans in the United States, with executives stating that growth "is mathematically impossible without Latinos."[116] The performance included Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.[117]
NBC's pre-game show was broadcast from a studio within Levi's Stadium and incorporated live segments from Bay Area locations such as Alcatraz Island. During the playoffs, NBC tested new technologies that were utilized during the game, such as new Canon Cine-Servo camera lenses, and various on-air graphic updates (including new augmented reality weather visualizations and telestrators).[125][126][124]
Advertising
NBC charged a base rate of $10 million for a 30-second commercial during the game, two million more than the price Fox had initially offered the previous year;[4][119] to maximize advertising revenue, NBC offered packages covering the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, as well as—new for 2026—the 2026 NBA All-Star Game being held the following week.[127][128]
Super Bowl LX featured seven officials, a replay-official, a replay assistant, and eight alternate officials. The numbers in parentheses below indicate their uniform numbers.[133]
↑Reedy, Joe (February 6, 2022). "Super Bowl/Olympics Sunday about to become routine for NBC". Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2022. When the NFL's 11-year television contract starts in 2023, NBC's spot in the Super Bowl rotation lines up the same year as the Winter Olympics.
1– Dates in the list denote the season, not necessarily the calendar year in which the championship game was played. For instance, Super Bowl LIV was played in 2020, but was the championship for the 2019 season.
2– From 1966 to 1969, the first four Super Bowls were "World Championship" games played between two independent professional football leagues, AFL and NFL, and when the league merged in 1970 the Super Bowl became the NFL Championship Game.
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