Super Bowl LX was billed as a clash of rising powers — a young Patriots team ahead of schedule and a Seahawks squad built on relentlessness.
By the time the Gatorade was dumped at Levi’s Stadium, one truth resounded: Seattle’s defense was the most dominant force on the field, and it carried the Seahawks to a 29–13 win and the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
The tone was set early. Seattle dictated the game’s physicality from the opening snap, collapsing pockets, eliminating rushing lanes and forcing New England into a brand of football the Patriots weren’t built to play.
The Patriots didn’t score until the fourth quarter — and by then the Seahawks had already built a 19–0 lead that felt insurmountable given how suffocating their defense had been.
The crown of the night, though, was placed on the head of Kenneth Walker III. The Seahawks’ star running back became the first player at the position to win Super Bowl MVP honors in 28 years, tallying 161 total yards that provided the steady, punishing presence Seattle needed to control the clock and keep the Patriots’ defense on its heels.
Walker’s blend of patience and explosiveness allowed Seattle to stay ahead of the sticks, and his production became the backbone of an offense that didn’t need to be spectacular — just efficient.
Sam Darnold delivered exactly that. The veteran quarterback played within himself, completing timely throws and avoiding the mistakes that had defined earlier chapters of his career. His 202 passing yards and lone touchdown won’t jump off the stat sheet, but his composure did.
Darnold didn’t force anything, didn’t give New England extra possessions and didn’t blink when the Patriots tried to heat him up. It was the kind of performance that doesn’t win MVPs but absolutely wins championships.
His unexciting but efficient play was more than enough to get the job done — thanks again to Seattle’s stifling defense.
The Seahawks generated consistent pressure, finishing with six sacks and three takeaways, including a pick‑six that stretched the lead to 29–7 and effectively sealed the game. Their front seven overwhelmed New England’s offensive line, and their secondary erased throwing windows before they ever opened. Drake Maye, who had been poised beyond his years all season, spent most of the night looking the part of a 23-year-old quarterback: under duress and unable to find rhythm.
While the Patriots’ points and yardage totals might keep Seattle’s defense from being mentioned amongst the great Super Bowl defenses of all time, New England’s offensive production came only after Seattle shifted into a softer, clock‑bleeding defensive shell.
With a multi‑score lead in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks backed off their aggressive fronts, traded chunk plays for time and forced the Patriots to string together long drives. The yards came, but the threat never did. Seattle controlled the game on its terms from start to finish.
For the Patriots, the loss stings but doesn’t diminish the season. A team that wasn’t expected to reach this stage proved it belonged on the league’s biggest platform. Maye’s growth, the defense’s emergence and the organization’s stability all point toward a bright future. But on this night, they ran into a team that was simply better — faster, more physical and more prepared for the moment.
For Seattle, this was validation. Validation of Sam Darnold’s resurgence. Validation of Mike Macdonald’s vision. Validation of a defense that played with an edge all season and saved its best for the biggest stage.
Super Bowl LX wasn’t just a win — it was a statement. And the statement was clear: the Seahawks are champions because they played smarter, hit harder and never let go of the game they controlled from coin flip.