The Seattle Seahawks rode a dominant defensive display to a 29–13 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, denying their opponents a record seventh Lombardi Trophy while avenging a painful title-game defeat from 11 years earlier.
Kenneth Walker III powered the offense with 135 rushing yards, earning Super Bowl MVP honors. Seattle’s defense overwhelmed rookie quarterback Drake Maye, sacking him six times. The defining moment came when Uchenna Nwosu strip-sacked Maye and returned the fumble 44 yards for a touchdown to put the game beyond reach.
Kicker Jason Myers added a Super Bowl-record five field goals, while quarterback Sam Darnold threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to AJ Barner to keep the offense ticking.
The triumph marked Seattle’s second Super Bowl crown and first since 2014. A year after that championship, the Patriots broke Seattle hearts when Malcolm Butler intercepted a goal-line pass in the closing seconds to seal victory for New England.
Darnold’s career renaissance added another chapter, as he became just the fourth quarterback to win a Super Bowl in his first season with a team, joining Tom Brady, Trent Dilfer, and Matthew Stafford.
Walker, meanwhile, became the first running back to claim Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis accomplished the feat in 1998.
Seattle’s defense set the tone from the outset, forcing punts on all five of New England’s first-half possessions and keeping the Patriots from crossing the Seahawks’ 43-yard line through three quarters. Myers capitalized with three first-half field goals for a 9–0 lead, then added another before Darnold’s touchdown strike to Barner stretched the advantage to 19–0.
Maye briefly sparked a comeback with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Mack Hollins, but a 55-yard punt from Michael Dickson pinned New England deep. Soon after, Julian Love intercepted Maye, leading to another Myers field goal and a 22–7 cushion.
Nwosu’s strip-sack touchdown effectively ended the contest at 29–7. Although Maye later found Rhamondre Stevenson for a late score, Seattle recovered the onside kick to seal the win.
After the game, Nwosu reflected on the pivotal defensive plan to relentlessly pressure Maye, noting the unit believed disrupting him would dismantle the Patriots’ entire game strategy. He also spoke about overcoming two injury-hit seasons, crediting resilience and family support for his return to form.
During the celebrations, Nwosu draped himself in a Nigerian flag and publicly thanked his mentor, Osi Umenyiora, for his guidance and efforts to develop young African talent, including CJ Okoye of the Baltimore Ravens.
Seattle’s roster also featured several players with African heritage, including Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Boye Mafe, Olu Oluwatimi, Nick Emmanwori, and rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe. On the losing side, Michael Onwenu capped another strong season despite the Super Bowl disappointment.
