Everything From Super Bowl LX That Got Fans Talking

TRENDING FAN CONVERSATIONS FROM THE WEEKEND IN SPORTS

FEBRUARY 6 - FEBRUARY 8, 2026

Top Story

The Seahawks get Super Bowl revenge on the Patriots in 29-13 win in Super Bowl LX. Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker wins MVP.

Here are the storylines that got NFL fans talking around Super Bowl LX.

1) Kenneth Walker and Devon Witherspoon were the X-factors in the Seahawks’ win

The only loser on the Seahawks side of the win is Zach Charbonnet’s share of the Seahawks backfield. The Patriots have been a top defense all playoffs, right behind Seattle, but Kenneth Walker’s MVP showout should leave no doubt why he’s a true workhorse, 20-touch back. Dynamic, patient, and explosive were the themes of his 161-yard output. Walker had 100 yards on only 14 carries in the first half alone, setting the tone for an otherwise lacking Seahawks offense when the ball wasn’t in his hands. His 135 yards rushing on the night were the most in a Super Bowl this century, and while it might come down to a franchise tag with Seattle, he otherwise made himself a lot of money in Super Bowl LX.

Witherspoon very easily could have been handed MVP with his 2 sacks, 1 strip sack, 2 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup. The former top cornerback in the 2023 draft class capped off an injured, yet still highly effective season with arguably the best performance of his already stellar career. Witherspoon is rapidly entering blank-check territory when it comes contract time, and his Super Bowl performance only pushed that number north.

2) The Patriots’ offensive line, but especially Will Campbell, was an abomination.

The Patriots let the Seahawks get to Maye six times and likely will be seeing smaller gifts from their franchise QB next Christmas. Will Campbell could be jailed for attempted murder of his own quarterback, and the “short arms” crowd on Campbell’s draft evaluation is sending out a lot of “told ya so” texts. His playoffs have been a tough watch, and his bow on the season was a 14-pressure game, the most by any player this season. He’s still young; it’s not panic time yet. But he is a 4th overall draft pick. His playoffs were astonishingly concerning and might force the Patriots’ front office into some slightly uncomfortable conversations this offseason. There is quite a bit of technique that needs cleaning up for Campbell to get back on track next season.

3) Mike Macdonald becomes the first head coach who also calls a defense to win the Super Bowl.

The return to Legion of Boom levels of impact from the Seahawks’ defense under the second year head coach may increasingly alter traditional hiring practices favoring offensive play callers as head coach. And why shouldn’t it? The success can’t all be put on Macdonald, as GM John Schneider has loaded up the defense with tremendous assets, but Macdonald elevated the talent into “The Dark Side” force it is now. While he might have been a bit robbed out of Coach of the Year - that’s not saying Vrabel didn’t deserve it - he is the one evolving the sport. In a sense, it’s the inverse McVay/Shanahan effect that came about a decade ago. Most recently, other defensive play callers just signed on as head coaches across the league, including Jesse Minter, Robert Saleh, and Jeff Hafley. All are considered brilliant schematic minds like Macdonald who, if the GM is on board to investing heavy into his primary unit, like Schneider does in Seattle, the end results can be as effective as chasing the next “brilliant, young offensive mind.”

The Seahawks offense was itself great with Kubiak calling the shots. With a defensive coach, the OC hire will always still be critical. But Darnold, as awesome as he was this season, is no top 5-7 QB, proving you can win the big game without one of the elites at the position. Smith-Njigba is one of the few alien-echelon weapons in the NFL but the Seahawks otherwise had nowhere near best in class pass catching weapons, even after acquiring Rashid Shaheed. Who only had three playoff catches.

Macdonald & Schneider have laid the blueprint for what running your team through the defense to the fullest extent can look like and the results it can yield. If a team can pull away in a Super Bowl off of strictly field goals for the first 3 quarters because their defense has allowed 0 points to the runner up for MVP, there’s a high chance others will look to duplicate the model.

4) Drake “The Schedule Jesus” Maye faces backlash after a poor playoffs resulted in an even uglier Super Bowl.

The MVP runner up completed a lowly 57.1% of his plasses, only tossed six touchdowns, had eight turnovers, and took 21 sacks. Putting anything schedule related aside, everyone needs to be very clear that Justin Herbert gets put on blast for playing as bad as or better than Maye played all playoffs. Herbert not only had as terrible offensive line play the past two seasons as anyone, but he had to navigate a now fired offensive coordinator’s scheme, whereas Maye has Josh McDaniels. That’s all to say, this is an instance that requires consistency with criticism. Maye did play incredible all season, but his playoffs only validated the argument that wins are not a quarterback stat. Becoming the first to ever win the AFC Championship game with under 100 passing yards will do that. It also doesn’t help shake the weak schedule narrative when Maye played his worst football against the best defenses come playoff time.

5) The Russell Wilson trade to the Broncos pays off with four major contributors in securing the Seahawks first Super Bowl win since winning one with Wilson.

Devon Witherspoon has emerged into a top do-it-all cornerback who could have won Super Bowl MVP, Derrick Hall had two sacks in the big game, Boye Mafe has been a relatively disruptive edge rusher, and Charles Cross just signed an extension to remain the Seahawks left tackle.

This is all to say, it’s important to capitalize on a window to move off a window an aging quarterback, who you haven’t won in a while with, if it becomes apparent there’s not exactly ideal alignment anymore.

Seahawks did it again with Geno Smith, being quick to move off him after a uninspiring age 34 season. That move netted them a 28 year old Sam Darnold, who immediately produces career best numbers, wins them a Super Bowl, and validates Seattle’s investment in him for the foreseeable future.

6) Seahawks kicker Jason Myers was trending to be Super Bowl MVP and set the NFL single-season scoring record.

Despite a game with Maye, JSN, and Walker running wild, there were no touchdowns until the 4th quarter. Until then, Myers alone had the Seahawks up 12-0 on a perfect 4/4 kicking that pushed him to become the first player to ever score 200 points in a season. Ol’ Golden Leg finished 5/5 and broke the record for field goals made in a season.