Twenty seconds left. Seahawks down 28-24 at the 1-yard line — a dynasty ready to emerge. Russell Wilson was one play away from winning back-to-back Super Bowls, likely securing his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pete Carroll would be hailed as a genius, while the Legion of Boom would be celebrated as the greatest defensive unit ever.
Instead, in dramatic fashion, Wilson and the Seahawks attempted a quick drop-back pass that was intercepted at the goal line by Malcolm Butler. Patriots win.
Now, 11 years later, the two teams face off again on the biggest stage — with a new narrative. The Seahawks enter as favorites, while the Patriots, led by young star Drake Maye, are a team of destiny. There are many storylines to watch ahead of Super Bowl 60 — here are the five biggest.
Can Sam Darnold conquer his ghosts?
“I’m seeing ghosts,” Darnold, then with the New York Jets, said in the second quarter of a Monday night contest against the Patriots in 2019.
The former No. 3 overall pick struggled against New England, throwing four interceptions while fumbling once. Jets fans now get the privilege of not only watching their “failed” franchise quarterback play in the Super Bowl, but also against their division rivals, the Patriots.
Although Darnold has proven he can hang around in the playoffs this season, there’s still a slight worry: Will he be able to handle the biggest stage?
Last season with the Minnesota Vikings, Darnold had an opportunity to clinch not only the NFC North but also the No. 1 seed with a matchup against the Detroit Lions. Darnold struggled, going 18 of 42 for 166 yards with a QBR of 55.5. Minnesota became the winningest team in NFL history to not finish atop its division.
In the playoffs, Darnold’s performance could’ve been described as woeful, taking nine sacks from the Los Angeles Rams’ heavy pressure while turning the ball over twice.
In Seattle, it’s been a different story. Darnold has shown consistent success when needed most — throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns in their NFC championship victory over the Rams. However, as is the case for many, the looming Super Bowl contest serves as his biggest challenge yet — not just because of the stage, but because it’s the Patriots.
In his career, Darnold is 0-4 against New England, throwing for just 691 yards with nine interceptions and one touchdown. The fifth contest comes at a new point in his career — one where the ghosts finally appear to be conquered.
How will the Patriots’ offensive line hold up?
The playoffs have been a wake-up call for the Patriots. During the regular season, they ripped through opponents, not facing a single top-10 scoring defense, with Maye taking just 47 sacks over 17 games. In the playoffs, it’s been an entirely different story — all three defensive units they’ve faced feature elite pass rushes, each ranking in the top 10 in sacks.
Maye’s sack total has skyrocketed to 15 in just three games, nearly doubling his regular-season average per game. The Patriots used their fourth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell, who has been heavily exposed through the playoffs by some of the league’s best pass rushers.
In his postseason debut, Campbell allowed a team-high six pressures, including two sacks. The following week, he surrendered two strip sacks against Houston’s Will Anderson. Against Denver, however, Campbell pitched a shutout, finishing the contest without allowing a sack and surrendering just one hurry.
Campbell and third-round pick Jared Wilson will become the first rookie duo to start on the same side of the offensive line in Super Bowl history. However, the blame can’t fully be placed on inexperience along the offensive line. Maye has been criticized for holding
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