Super Bowl Score: Seahawks Exorcise Demons, Defeat Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For eleven years, the specter of a single yard line has haunted the Seattle Seahawks. It was a ghost that lived in the rain-slicked memories of the Pacific Northwest, a phantom of what-could-have-been that lingered through roster turnovers, coaching changes, and the slow passage of a decade. But on Sunday night, under the pristine lights of Levi’s Stadium in Super Bowl LX, the Seahawks didn’t just chase that ghost away; they buried it under a suffocating avalanche of defense and a fourth-quarter offensive explosion.
In a game that began as a defensive war of attrition and ended in a chaotic flurry of scoring, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13, capturing the franchise’s second Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The final score, however, belies the tension that gripped the 70,823 fans in attendance for the first three quarters. For the better part of three hours, this was a throwback to the rugged, bone-jarring football of a bygone era—a testament to the defensive mastermind of Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald. It wasn’t until the final fifteen minutes that running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III shattered the deadlock, powering a Seahawks surge that turned a nail-biter into a coronation.
The Shadow of History
The narrative leading up to Super Bowl LX was inescapable. The last time these two franchises met on this stage, in Super Bowl XLIX, it resulted in perhaps the most heartbreaking finish in NFL history—the Malcolm Butler interception. The media week in Santa Clara was dominated by questions about redemption, legacy, and the psychological weight of the past.
“We respect history, but we don’t live in it,” Macdonald said earlier in the week. On Sunday, his team played with a singular, present-tense focus. They faced a Patriots team led by head coach Mike Vrabel and second-year quarterback sensation Drake Maye, a squad that had bullied its way through the AFC with a physical brand of football reminiscent of the early Belichick years.
But from the opening kickoff, it was clear that Seattle’s defense, a unit that has drawn comparisons to the legendary “Legion of Boom,” was operating on a different frequency.
First Quarter: The Defensive Standoff
The game began under clear skies, with temperatures hovering in the mid-60s—perfect conditions for football. Yet, both offenses seemed frozen in place. The first quarter was a masterclass in defensive discipline.
The Patriots received the opening kickoff but were immediately stifled. On the first play from scrimmage, Drake Maye attempted a play-action pass to rookie sensation DeMario Douglas, only to be swallowed up by Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. It set the tone for a quarter defined by punts and field position.
Seattle’s offense, led by veteran quarterback Sam Darnold—whose career resurgence has been the feel-good story of the 2025 season—fared little better initially. The Patriots’ defensive front, anchored by Christian Barmore, collapsed the pocket repeatedly, forcing Darnold into quick, conservative check-downs.
The stalemate broke late in the first quarter, not with a bang, but with a grind. A 12-play drive by Seattle, fueled by short bursts from Walker, stalled at the Patriots’ 15-yard line. Kicker Jason Myers trotted out and calmly slotted a 32-yard field goal, giving Seattle a 3-0 lead. It was a modest advantage, but in a game where yards were gold dust, it felt significant.
Second Quarter: A War of Attrition
The second quarter continued the theme of defensive dominance, a fact that surely frustrated the millions of casual viewers tuning in for fireworks. For the purists, however, it was a chess match between Macdonald and Vrabel.
New England’s offense simply could not find a rhythm. Maye, who had shown poise beyond his years throughout the playoffs, looked rattled by Macdonald’s disguised coverages. Seattle safety Julian Love seemed to be everywhere at once, robbing the middle of the field and forcing Maye to hold onto the ball a beat too long.
With 8:45 left in the half, Seattle mounted their most promising drive. Darnold connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a beautiful 22-yard corner route, the first explosive play of the game. The Seahawks marched to the New England 8-yard line, threatening to blow the game open. But the Patriots’ red-zone defense stiffened. A third-down pass to D.K. Metcalf was batted away by Christian Gonzalez, forcing Seattle to settle for another Myers field goal. 6-0.
The Patriots had a chance to respond before halftime. Maye engineered a two-minute drill, moving the ball to the Seattle 35. But on a crucial 3rd-and-5, Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe beat right tackle Mike Onwenu with a spin move, sacking Maye and pushing them out of field goal range.
As the teams headed to the locker rooms, the scoreboard read 9-0—Myers having added a 48-yarder as time expired in the half. It was the fifth Super Bowl in history to feature no touchdowns in the first half, a statistic that underscored the suffocating nature of the contest.
Halftime: Bad Bunny Brings the Heat
If the first half was a cold war, the halftime show was a tropical explosion. Global superstar Bad Bunny took over Levi’s Stadium with a production that was vibrant, loud, and unapologetically energetic. Featuring guest appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, the show transformed the field into a pulsating dance floor.
The high-energy performance seemed to serve as a stark contrast to the conservative game play, perhaps signaling the chaos that was to come in the second half.
Third Quarter: Bending but Not Breaking
The third quarter saw the Patriots finally show signs of life. Vrabel, known for his halftime adjustments, shifted to a heavy run game, utilizing Rhamondre Stevenson to batter the interior of Seattle’s line.
New England consumed over seven minutes of the clock on their opening drive of the half, marching 68 yards to the Seattle 12. But once again, the “Red Zone shift” of the Seahawks’ defense held firm. On 4th-and-1, Vrabel opted to go for it—a decision that would be debated long after the final whistle. Stevenson was met in the hole by linebacker Uchenna Nwosu and driven backward. Turnover on downs.
Seattle took over and capitalized on the momentum shift. Darnold, playing with increasing confidence, found Noah Fant for a 30-yard gain up the seam. Although the drive eventually sputtered, Myers remained automatic, drilling his fourth field goal of the night from 42 yards out.
Heading into the fourth quarter, Seattle led 12-0. The Patriots had zero points. The game felt precariously close to a blowout, not on the scoreboard, but in spirit.
Fourth Quarter: The Dam Breaks
Then, the fourth quarter happened. And everything changed.
Desperation forced New England’s hand. On the first play of the final frame, Drake Maye finally connected on a deep ball, hitting Tyquan Thornton for a 55-yard touchdown strike that caught the Seahawks’ secondary sleeping. The PAT was good. 12-7. Suddenly, we had a ballgame.
The tension in Levi’s Stadium was palpable. A 12-point lead had evaporated to five in ten seconds. But this was where Kenneth Walker III cemented his legacy.
“We came to the huddle,” Darnold recalled post-game, “and Ken just said, ‘Give me the rock.'”
Seattle obliged. On the ensuing possession, Walker took a handoff on the first play, cut back against the grain, made two defenders miss, and sprinted 65 yards down the left sideline before being pushed out at the 10. Two plays later, he punched it in for Seattle’s first touchdown of the night. 19-7.
The Patriots, now in full panic mode, answered back with a frantic drive. Maye used his legs to pick up two crucial first downs before finding tight end Hunter Henry in the back of the end zone. 19-13 (the two-point conversion attempt failed).
With 6:30 remaining, the score was 19-13. The ghosts of 2014 began to stir. A defensive stop by New England could give them the ball back with a chance to win.
But the Seahawks’ offense, often criticized for being too conservative, delivered the dagger. On 3rd-and-8 from their own 25, Darnold dropped back. The Patriots brought the house. Darnold stood tall in the pocket and delivered a strike to Metcalf over the middle. The big receiver broke a tackle and rumbled 40 yards into Patriots territory.
Three plays later, Walker burst through the line for a 22-yard touchdown, his second of the quarter. 26-13.
The final nail in the coffin came on the next Patriots possession. A strip-sack by Derick Hall was recovered by Seattle at the New England 15. Myers added one final field goal for good measure, making it 29-13.
The Aftermath
When the clock hit zero, the celebration was more relief than rapture. Blue and green confetti rained down as Pete Carroll, watching from a luxury box, was shown on the jumbotron smiling—a nod to the foundation he built, now perfected by Macdonald.
Kenneth Walker III was named Super Bowl MVP, finishing with 165 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He became the first running back to win the award since Terrell Davis in 1998, a fitting accolade for a performance that physically broke the will of the opponent.
“This defense played their hearts out,” Walker said on the podium, holding the trophy. “They gave us a chance to find our footing. Once we did, we knew nobody could stop us.”
For the Patriots, it was a bitter end to a resurgence season. “We got beat in the trenches,” Mike Vrabel admitted. “You can’t kick field goals and expect to beat a team like that, and you certainly can’t wait until the fourth quarter to wake up.”
A New Era in Seattle
The victory marks a definitive turning point for the Seahawks franchise. The shadow of the one-yard line has been lifted. The conversation is no longer about what they lost in Arizona a decade ago, but what they won in Santa Clara tonight.
Sam Darnold, the cast-off quarterback who found a home in the Pacific Northwest, summed it up best.
“They wrote me off,” Darnold said, hat pulled low, soaking in the moment. “They said this team was rebuilding. They said we couldn’t win the big one. But we never listened. We just played.”
As the team prepares for a parade in downtown Seattle that is expected to draw hundreds of thousands, the message is clear: The Seahawks are back on top of the football world. And this time, they didn’t leave it up to chance.
Final Score: Seattle Seahawks 29, New England Patriots 13.
MVP: Kenneth Walker III.
Next Up: The Parade, Wednesday, 4th Avenue, Seattle.
Scoring Summary
- 1st Quarter
- SEA: J. Myers 32 yd Field Goal (3:12) — SEA 3, NE 0
- 2nd Quarter
- SEA: J. Myers 24 yd Field Goal (8:45) — SEA 6, NE 0
- SEA: J. Myers 48 yd Field Goal (0:00) — SEA 9, NE 0
- 3rd Quarter
- SEA: J. Myers 42 yd Field Goal (4:15) — SEA 12, NE 0
- 4th Quarter
- NE: T. Thornton 55 yd pass from D. Maye (H. Mevis kick) (14:50) — SEA 12, NE 7
- SEA: K. Walker III 4 yd run (J. Myers kick) (12:10) — SEA 19, NE 7
- NE: H. Henry 8 yd pass from D. Maye (Run failed) (6:30) — SEA 19, NE 13
- SEA: K. Walker III 22 yd run (J. Myers kick) (2:45) — SEA 26, NE 13
- SEA: J. Myers 36 yd Field Goal (1:02) — SEA 29, NE 13
