SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Seattle Seahawks didn’t just beat the odds; they obliterated them. Entering the season with 60-1 longshot status—the longest for a champion since the 2001 Patriots—Seattle completed its worst-to-first turnaround with a suffocating 29-13 victory over New England in Super Bowl LX. The “Legion of Boom 2.0” defense strangled the Patriots, becoming the first unit since the 1974 Steelers to allow zero points through three quarters on the sport’s biggest stage.
Darnold’s Redemption Tour is Complete
Sam Darnold is a Super Bowl champion. Read that again. The man who led the NFL with 20 turnovers in the regular season played flawless football when it mattered most. Darnold didn’t force throws; he surgically dissected New England’s secondary.
He finishes the postseason with zero turnovers, joining the elite company of Drew Brees, Steve Young, and Troy Aikman. His final line in Santa Clara: 61.5% completion, 5 touchdowns (postseason total), and a 102.4 rating. Seattle didn’t win despite Darnold; they won because he refused to lose.
Witherspoon & Hall Wreck the Game Plan
While Darnold steered the ship, Devon Witherspoon and Derick Hall sank the Patriots. Witherspoon, now a three-time Pro Bowler, didn’t just cover; he erased receivers. His pressure in the fourth quarter forced the game-sealing mistake—a panicked throw by Patriots QB Drake Maye that Uchenna Nwosu returned 45 yards for a touchdown.
On the line, Derick Hall played like a man possessed. After logging just two sacks all year, he exploded for a multi-sack performance and a forced fumble, joining the rare air of Super Bowl defensive disruptors. The Patriots’ offensive line had no answer.
“They called us an afterthought in August. They called us a fluke in December. Now? They have to call us champions. We heard the noise about the odds. We just kept the receipts.” — Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks Cornerback
Special Teams History: Myers Can’t Miss
Kicker Jason Myers turned Levi’s Stadium into his personal practice field. Myers drilled five field goals, breaking the all-time Super Bowl single-game record previously shared by Don Chandler, Ray Wersching, Harrison Butker, and Jake Elliott. His 26-yarder in the fourth quarter didn’t just pad the lead; it etched his name in the history books. Myers is now the first player ever to score 200+ points in a single season (including playoffs).
The Patriots’ Nightmare: Will Campbell Struggled
New England’s rookie left tackle Will Campbell will want to burn the tape. Facing Seattle’s speed, Campbell looked slow. He surrendered his fourth sack of the postseason and allowed consistent pressure on Drake Maye. Maye, running for his life, absorbed five sacks for the fourth consecutive playoff game—a brutal record. The Patriots have their quarterback of the future, but without better protection, his ceiling remains capped.
What’s Next
For Seattle, the focus shifts to keeping this core together. General Manager John Schneider has big decisions on looming free agents like Boye Mafe, though Derick Hall’s emergence makes that easier. New England faces a long offseason of offensive line reconstruction. If they can’t protect Maye, they can’t return to this stage.
