How New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks defied the odds to set up Super Bowl rematch

Very few tipped the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks to reach the Super Bowl at the start of the season

The Vince Lombardi Trophy will be on the line this weekend (Getty Images)

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, two teams widely considered massive underdogs at the start of the season, are set to clash in one of the most improbable Super Bowl matchups in NFL history this Sunday.

Both franchises defied staggering 60-1 or worse odds to reach the championship game in Santa Clara, California.

The contest also marks a compelling rematch of their thrilling encounter 11 years ago, famously decided when Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler intercepted a pass at the goal line with 20 seconds remaining, securing a dramatic 28-24 victory.

The Patriots’ journey to this point has been nothing short of remarkable.

Following two consecutive seasons with just four wins, they orchestrated a stunning worst-to-first turnaround, achieving a 14-3 record and clinching the AFC East title.

Malcolm Butler famously intercepted a pass to seal a Patriots victory at the Super Bowl in 2015 (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Their perfect 9-0 road record has been a cornerstone of their success, marking their first Super Bowl appearance since the dominant Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era, which yielded six championships between 2000 and 2019.

Leading this resurgence is the dynamic pairing of first-year head coach Mike Vrabel and second-year quarterback Drake Maye.

Vrabel, a three-time Super Bowl winner with the Patriots as a player, has expertly guided Maye and the NFL's second-ranked scoring offence.

Maye, at 23 years and 162 days old, stands on the cusp of becoming the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, despite some playoff struggles.

Vrabel praised his young signal-caller, stating: "It all starts with talent. I think he's extremely talented. He's a competitor. He's always trying to learn. Continues to build and develop as a leader. So, his success and his performance is a large part of why we're here."

Drake Maye has been a crucial part of the Patriots’ success this season (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A victory would also see Vrabel join an elite group as only the fifth person in NFL history to win the Super Bowl as both a player and head coach. For New England, it would be a record seventh championship in their 12th Super Bowl appearance.

Meanwhile, Seattle arrives in California riding an impressive nine-game winning streak, exuding a confidence rarely seen this late in the season.

Their unlikely hero is quarterback Sam Darnold, whose winding path to this pinnacle reads like a Hollywood script.

The third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold bounced around the league before joining the Seahawks last March, transforming from a playoff disappointment to an NFC champion in a single season.

Sam Darnold could be an unlikely hero on Sunday (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Darnold’s redemption story reached its crescendo in the NFC Championship game, where he delivered a stellar performance, throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns on the biggest stage of his career.

A victory on Sunday would place him alongside Tom Brady, Trent Dilfer, and Matthew Stafford as the only quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl in their first season with a team.

Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba encapsulated the team’s belief: "Can't say enough about Sam, man. It's been a great first year. We got one more to go. But for him to overcome what he had to overcome, I'm riding with Sam all day."