Seahawks Edge Patriots in Super Bowl Rematch as Sam Darnold Exits With Hip Injury

The New England Patriots left the field Wednesday night convinced they had handed away a statement victory through unforced fourth-quarter errors, while the Seattle Seahawks viewed the exact same 13-10 result as a testament to their championship resilience. In a rematch of Super Bowl LX that opened the 2026 NFL season, the defining narrative split immediately: New England head coach Mike Vrabel pointed to three late interceptions that erased a 10-point lead, while Seattle celebrated a gritty defensive stand executed after losing their starting quarterback on the opening drive.[1][6]

The stakes shifted abruptly just minutes after Seattle raised their championship banner. On the Seahawks' first offensive series, quarterback Sam Darnold sustained a hip injury and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the contest. The sudden exit forced backup Drew Lock into the huddle against a New England defense designed specifically to pressure Darnold's timing routes.[3][4][7]

Lock entered the game in the first quarter and immediately faced a 10-0 deficit as the Patriots capitalized on the early disruption. New England controlled the tempo through the first half, leaning on receiver Mack Hollins, who paced the team with 51 yards on four catches after primary target A.J. Brown exited with an ankle injury of his own.[1][7]

But the complexion of the game inverted in the final 15 minutes. Clinging to a narrow advantage, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye forced the ball into tight coverage on three consecutive late-game drives. Seattle's secondary, returning four starters from their 2025 championship run, converted those mistakes into the decisive field position that allowed Lock to orchestrate a methodical comeback.[1][2]

"Can't throw three interceptions," Vrabel told reporters in the visiting locker room, delivering a blunt assessment of his young quarterback's decision-making under pressure. Maye himself took full responsibility for the collapse, acknowledging that the turnovers ultimately proved costly in a game where the defense had largely contained Seattle's backup.[5][6]

For Seattle, the 13-10 victory provides an immediate cushion in the NFC West standings, but the long-term cost remains uncertain. Darnold's hip injury casts a shadow over a roster built to defend a title, placing the immediate future of the offense in Lock's hands.[3][7]

Lock, who managed the game without committing a turnover, emphasized the preparation required of a backup in a championship environment. He navigated a conservative game plan in the second half, relying on a rushing attack that ground down the New England front seven and kept Maye off the field during the critical middle quarters.[2][7]

The Patriots now return to Foxborough facing immediate questions about their offensive stability. With Brown's ankle injury requiring evaluation and Maye struggling in high-leverage moments, Vrabel's staff has exactly ten days to recalibrate before their Week 2 divisional matchup.[1][6]

Seattle's medical staff will evaluate Darnold's hip over the next 48 hours to determine the severity of the injury. Until that imaging returns, the defending champions sit at 1-0, having proved they can win a defensive struggle without their primary distributor, but knowing that formula faces a much steeper test as the 17-game schedule unfolds.[4]