No one saw this coming.
Sure, maybe an easy schedule and Mike Vrabel’s presence could help New England to a playoff appearance. And perhaps Sam Darnold would be an improvement over Geno Smith and, combined with Mike Macdonald’s defense, could win a playoff game.
But the Super Bowl? Please. The last time these teams met in the NFL’s final game, it was as two of the league’s favorites: the unflappable, Tom Brady-led Patriots against Richard Sherman and Seattle’s dominant Legion of Boom defense.
This year was different. The Patriots’ preseason title odds were 80-1, while the Seahawks were at 60-1. That makes this the most unlikely Super Bowl pairing since at least 1989, as Mike Sando noted in his Pick Six column.
Maybe Seattle’s odds should’ve been better? After all, this century, the Seahawks have made the Super Bowl following each election of a new pope:
- 2005: Pope Benedict XVI elected, Seahawks-Steelers
- 2013: Pope Francis I elected, Seahawks-Broncos
- 2025: Pope Leo XIV elected, Seahawks-Patriots
We’ve got a Super Bowl preview here. But I’m getting ahead. Let’s talk about what just happened.
Inside: Weekend recap and a coaching update, now that the Steelers have landed Mike McCarthy.
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AFC/NFC Championship recap
While yes, the Super Bowl participants would’ve been a shock back in August, Sunday’s results were hardly surprising. Both favorites won, and …
Sean McVay’s offense seemed unstoppable, posting 27 points and 479 yards, but a special-teams error cost the Rams, again. One month after firing the coordinator responsible for the league’s worst unit (per EPA), the Rams muffed a third-quarter punt that gave Seattle a short field and a subsequent 24-13 lead. Cooper Kupp showed up to haunt them, too, as the Seahawks won 31-27. More details here.
In Denver, Sean Payton was confident. Maybe too confident. “Just watch,” he said when asked about No. 2 quarterback Jarrett Stidham. In the first quarter, Stidham had a beautiful 50-plus-yard bomb to receiver Marvin Mims Jr.
On the next possession, with a heavy snowfall on its way and Denver’s defense suffocating New England, a short field goal on fourth-and-1 would’ve safely given the Broncos a 10-0 lead. But Payton trusted Stidham. His pass fell incomplete, and after Stidham’s game-changing fumble on the next drive, the Broncos never came close to scoring again.
The game ended when Stidham tried to again connect with Mims on a deep shot, and the Pats interception sealed the 10-7 win for New England. Full takeaways here.
In two weeks Sam Darnold will become the first quarterback to start in a Super Bowl who …
- played at USC
- was in the 2018 draft class (picked after Baker Mayfield and before Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson)
- was a Jets draftee not named Joe Namath
- saw ghosts in 2019
Unreal. Michael-Shawn Dugar has a terrific story on Darnold’s redemption. On to the coaching updates.
Coaching Carousel: Steelers choose McCarthy
The Mike Tomlin era ended with tears and questions. The Mike McCarthy era begins with more of the same, it seems.
“This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” was one comment on our story on the move. “As a fan who wanted Tomlin gone, I’d take him back in 10 seconds over how bad McCarthy is,” wrote another.
I get it. The 62-year-old McCarthy’s not a young up-and-comer like Seattle’s Klint Kubiak. He’s not a defensive mastermind like Brian Flores or an offensive whiz like Mike McDaniel. But he has a track record of developing quarterbacks, and Pittsburgh sure needs one.
- Over the course of his career, McCarthy has spent time with Joe Montana, Rich Gannon, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott.
- McCarthy’s teams made the playoffs in 12 of his 18 seasons. His career record is 174-112-2, with a playoff record of 11-11. That’s good, all things considered.
Still, it feels like a weird fit for a Steelers team that’s never employed a coach age 60 or older. This nugget from my colleagues’ story explains some ties here:
💬 “When he was with the Saints (2000-2004), McCarthy crossed paths with two young staffers — Omar Khan and Andy Weidl. Those two men now serve as the Steelers’ general manager and assistant GM, respectively.”
What does this mean for Pittsburgh? Maybe 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard develops, or one of five top-100 draft picks in 2026 are used on a passer? Many mocks connect the Steelers with Alabama’s Ty Simpson at No. 21, after all.
It also might mean an Aaron Rodgers encore. Our Steelers beat reporter Mike DeFabo noted that Rodgers told at least one reporter that he’d like to play for McCarthy again, and it sounds like Rodgers’ teammates want him back. More details here.
Take an updated look at the coaching hirings before a word from Dianna.
What Dianna’s Hearing: Latest on candidates
While the Patriots and Seahawks were busy booking their tickets to Super Bowl LX, the coaching carousel continued to spin. This is what I’m hearing:
The three front-runners for the Cardinals’ vacancy as of Monday morning are Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile, Rams OC Mike LaFleur and former Falcons coach Raheem Morris.
The Raiders continue to meet with candidates, with Bills OC Joe Brady, former Giants coach Brian Daboll and Broncos pass game coordinator Davis Webb among those receiving second interviews.
The league is watching to see where Daboll’s next home will be. He’s received head-coaching interest from the Bills and Raiders, while the Eagles and Titans have spoken with him about becoming their next offensive coordinator.
Four head-coaching vacancies remain. And with two more teams eliminated, candidates like Webb, LaFleur, Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase and Broncos DC Vance Joseph can speak with teams in person.
Back to you, Jacob.
Extra Points
👀 Immediate rebuild. As Zak Keefer explains in his What We Learned column, the Super Bowl-bound Patriots and Seahawks redefined how to build a contender.
📓 Cooper Kupp-inspired brawl? The Rams and Seahawks nearly came to blows over the veteran receiver, who played a crucial role in Seattle’s win. Michael Silver has the details here.
💬 Josh Allen is involved in the Bills’ head-coaching search. Is that a good idea? Kurt Warner doesn’t think so. On that topic, Philip Rivers withdrew himself from consideration.
📊 2026 NFL Draft. It’s quickly approaching, and Dane Brugler shares quarterbacks to watch this week as the Senior Bowl opens practice tomorrow. Could LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier resuscitate his stock?
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