Drake Maye and Sam Darnold's Redemption Stories Collide in Super Bowl LX Showdown on Sunday

Super Bowl LX on Sunday evening will showcase one of the most compelling quarterback matchups in recent championship history as the New England Patriots' Drake Maye faces the Seattle Seahawks' Sam Darnold at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 6:30 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC marks the first Super Bowl showdown in which both starting quarterbacks and head coaches are in either their first or second season with their respective franchises, creating a fascinating narrative of rebuilding and redemption that has captivated the NFL world. Seattle enters as a 4.5-point favorite with both teams carrying identical 14-3 regular season records.

Drake Maye's journey to the Super Bowl represents the fastest ascent for a Patriots quarterback since Tom Brady's emergence two decades ago. The rookie signal-caller finished second in MVP voting to the Rams' Matthew Stafford after a spectacular first season that exceeded all expectations. Maye has demonstrated remarkable poise under pressure throughout the playoffs, though he has been sacked five times in each of his three postseason games. The Patriots' offensive line will face its sternest test against a Seahawks defensive front led by Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy III, who have combined for 108 quarterback pressures, 35 hits, and 14 sacks this season as the NFL's most dominant 300-pound interior duo.

Sam Darnold's path to Super Bowl LX has been far more circuitous, marking one of the great redemption arcs in modern NFL history. After flaming out with the New York Jets as the third overall pick in 2018 and bouncing between backup roles, Darnold found new life in Seattle's offensive system. He completed a career-best 67.7 percent of his passes in 2025 for over 4,000 yards with 25 touchdowns and a 99.1 passer rating, building on his breakthrough 2024 campaign. The 28-year-old quarterback has silenced critics who labeled him a bust, proving that talent and perseverance can overcome early career setbacks when placed in the right system.

The coaching matchup adds another layer of intrigue with the Patriots' Mike Vrabel facing the Seahawks' Mike Macdonald, both in their first or second year leading their respective organizations. Vrabel has orchestrated a stunning turnaround in New England following the post-Brady era struggles, while Macdonald has built one of the league's most dominant defenses. Seattle's defense ranked sixth in the NFL during the regular season, allowing just 285.6 yards and a league-low 17.2 points per game. New England's defense wasn't far behind at eighth overall, surrendering 295.2 yards and 18.8 points per contest.

Of 58 experts polled by ESPN, 48 picked Seattle to win (82.8 percent) while 10 favored New England (17.2 percent). Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the favorite for Super Bowl MVP among 19 experts, while Maye received six MVP votes despite being on the underdog side. The over/under sits at 45.5 points, reflecting expectations of strong defensive play and potential offensive line struggles on both sides. Seattle has won nine consecutive games entering the Super Bowl, while New England has rattled off six straight victories.

Beyond the football storylines, Super Bowl LX will feature a halftime performance by Bad Bunny and be broadcast to a global audience estimated at over 100 million viewers. For the Patriots, victory would deliver their record-setting seventh Super Bowl title and first since the Brady-Belichick dynasty ended. For the Seahawks, a win would bring their second championship and first since their back-to-back Super Bowl appearances over a decade ago. The stage is set for a defensive struggle between two young quarterbacks trying to author their own championship legacies.