Seahawks win Super Bowl 60: Winners and Losers from a beatdown of the Patriots
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs the ball during the second quarter against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn ImagesI guess defense really does win championships. Or, at least for the Seattle Seahawks, a dominant defense has won them two championships.
For the second time in franchise history, the Lombardi Trophy is coming to Seattle. While the final score read 29-13 for the Seahawks over the New England Patriots, it wasn't that close.
It was not a pretty game to watch for the neutrals, but it was a thing of beauty to watch if you like smashmouth football. Drake Maye was the MVP runner-up and was made to look like a bottom-five quarterback. The Seahawks passing game may not have been crisp, but Sam Darnold made timely throws and Kenneth Walker was phenomenal in the running game. Special teams? Well, you know the deal there.
The most balanced, dominant team in the NFL got the job done. That's all that matters. They can never take this away, as the late, great John Madden once said.
Let's get to our final Winners and Losers of this magical season.
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Mike Macdonald pantsed Josh McDaniels, showed he is an elite coach
This was a non-contest. Macdonald is the defensive mastermind who should be the envy of the NFL. He's the first Super Bowl champion head coach to be the team's primary defensive play-caller. Other than the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, no other teams put up more than 22 offensive points against the Seahawks defense. The Patriots offense could do barely anything against the Seahawks. It was a mismatch of the highest order and it was obvious within the first quarter.
But it's not just the defense that makes Macdonald and outstanding coach. This roster was fully bought into the program from the start of the offseason. They are exceptionally coached and disciplined, hence the lack of penalties, coverage busts, blown assignments, miscommunications, etc. It's a well-oiled machine that could somehow get better in seasons to come.
Coach Macdonald has delivered a champion in two seasons. This is the greatest start to a Seahawks coaching career bar none, and now he joins his predecessor as the only ones to deliver a Super Bowl to Seattle.
John Schneider is a Seattle sports legend
I can't pretend (and frankly, neither can many of you) that I haven't been deeply critical of Schneider over the past several seasons. The team was winning but not winning a whole lot in the playoffs, and it felt like things had gotten stale. Schneider freshened things up with the greatest offseason in franchise history, with every move of consequence paying off. To win a second Super Bowl as GM with a completely different roster and coaching staff is greatness.
This is the end of me doubting John. He's now an all-time important figure in Seattle sports history, let alone the Seahawks.
Give Kenneth Walker III his flowers, not just a Super Bowl MVP
The Patriots run defense has been very good for much of the season. Kenneth Walker did not care. He was cutting sharply, juking defenders at the line, breaking tackles, and by halftime he had 100 yards from scrimmage. By the end of the game, he became the first running back since Terrell Davis to win Super Bowl MVP. A whopping 161 yards of total offense marked his fourth game in a row with at least 100 yards of total offense.
Walker is a must re-sign and I will hear no other counterarguments. He played every game, he produced late in the year when it mattered, and he looks as good as he's ever looked. I'm so happy for K9.
Sam Darnold is a ghostbuster
Darnold did not play well enough to ever be in Super Bowl MVP contention. He was uncharacteristically off-target on many throws and 19/38 for 202 and a TD is nothing special. I don't care. If you believe the real Super Bowl was two weeks ago against the Los Angeles Rams, then Darnold already gave you the MVP performance. What Darnold did do tonight was make smart plays in the pocket, make a few timely throws to keep the chains moving, and after halftime he stopped really putting the ball in dangerous spots, going 10/16 for 114 yards and a TD.
The narrative surrounding Darnold was that he couldn't win the big games. He beat the Rams after the nightmare he had with the Minnesota Vikings. He avenged the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers twice over. No one should've cared about the win-less mark against the Patriots but that's off the list, too. New England was the I'm seeing ghosts" opponent back in 2019 when he was with the Jets.
Sam Darnold isn't seeing ghosts anymore, he's seeing his name immortalized as the starting quarterback for a Super Bowl champion. It's the real ultimate turnaround story.
Jason Myers is flawless
The last time Myers played at Levi's Stadium, he missed two field goals, one of which was a chip shot. When they need him most, J-Money was perfect. Five-for-five on field goals for the first time in Super Bowl history, giving him exactly 50 field goals on an outstanding year.
Michael Dickson is the punt god
They don't get any better than Michael Dickson at the punter position. Four of Dickson's seven punts were pinned inside the 20, while the only major return was called back for holding. A special shout out to Velus Jones Jr for great special teams by downing two of those Dickson punts.
Derick Hall dominates
It was a quiet season for Hall in terms of sacks, but he clearly played better than that. Against the Patriots offensive line, he was on a seek and destroy mission. Two sacks recorded, including a strip-sack of Drake Maye that effectively wrapped up the win. What a phenomenal showing for the former Auburn star.
Devon Witherspoon blitzes Drake Maye into doom
Spoon was locking receivers down in coverage and casually just picking up a sack and a pressure that led to the game-ending pick-six by Uchenna Nwosu. It almost transpired that Witherspoon had two sacks and a forced fumble, which might have been grounds to consider giving him Super Bowl MVP. The biggest piece of the Russell Wilson trade shined the brightest.
Uchenna Nwosu lives the dream
A Super Bowl pick-six as your first NFL touchdown? You love to see it, especially given Chenna had battled injuries in the past two seasons but was healthy this year and played his ass off.
DeMarcus Lawrence does get his ring
Hawkblogger's interview with Lawrence belongs in soundbite lore. Lawrence knew he wasn't winning a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys so he joined the Seahawks, which was laughed at as a thought that Seattle could contend. Well who's laughing now? All the best to Tank and his wife, who's 37 weeks pregnant and ready to deliver their sixth kid. Tank was instrumental in Seattle's defensive turnaround.
Byron Murphy II is worth that first-round pick
Two sacks and a fumble recovery on the night for Big Murph, not to mention more excellent run defense that prevented the Patriots from a single explosive rush on the night. His second-year leap was instrumental to the Seahawks' success on the defensive interior.
AJ Barner pulls off the CFP/NFL double
Barner told me on Thursday he should have a big game on Sunday. Needless to say, he did exactly that. His outstanding second season is capped up with a Super Bowl title courtesy of his first playoff touchdown. Four catches on four targets for 54 yards and the teeder. He's your favorite tight end's favorite tight end. National champion at Michigan and now a Super Bowl champion with the Seahawks.
Rylie Mills arrives at the right time
Last year, Rylie Mills tore his ACL during Notre Dame's run to the National Championship Game. He missed most of his rookie season, but was able to return for the home stretch. What a way and what a time to get your first career sack!
Julian Love seals the deal
That interception was effectively the end of New England's comeback. You love to see it from the veteran safety, who started the game with a missed open field tackle on a third-down conversion, then was outstanding the rest of the night.
Cooper Kupp has a postseason to remember
Now a two-time Super Bowl champion, Kupp had a terrific postseason: 15 catches for 157 yards and a crucial touchdown against the Rams that was technically the game-winner. He did not have a single 15-catch stretch over any three-game period in the regular season. Kupp saved his best for last and proved to be a savvy veteran signing by John Schneider. The Washingtonian returns home to great success!
Seattle Seahawks LosersNone, the Seahawks are Super Bowl champions!
Riq Woolen annoyed me with the touchdown he gave up but that's literally it. Why would you want a Losers column?
Final Notes- There's nothing else to add. There are many other Winners I could add but it's midnight and I'm very tired and possibly coming down with a cold after a week's worth of Super Bowl coverage here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I fly out to Portland tomorrow and therefore won't do Enemy Reaction until Tuesday. Until then, a big thank you to everyone who viewed, shared, and/or commented on Field Gulls this season, as well as a thanks to the entire staff for their excellent work all year. This was a trying time for me personally due to a serious family health emergency that led to me covering the majority of the Seahawks season in medical facilities. When those trips stopped, the Seahawks did not lose another game. Cherish this win, cherish this season, cherished your loved ones, and celebrate into the night. Field Gulls will be your go-to place for offseason content, which thankfully isn't going to be about whether they can make the playoffs, it's whether they can repeat as Super Bowl champs.