SEATTLE — The New England Patriots are heading back into the matchup that ended their last season, with a Super Bowl LX rematch against the Seattle Seahawks set to open the 2026 NFL campaign at Lumen Field.
Seattle beat New England 29-13 in Super Bowl LX, and Wednesday night’s meeting gives Drake Maye and the Patriots an immediate chance to test whether their offseason changes can produce a different result against the defending champions. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. PT on NBC.
Patriots vs Seahawks: Game time, TV and venue
Game: New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks
Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. PT
India time: 5:50 a.m. IST, Thursday, September 10
Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle
TV: NBC
Records: Patriots 0-0, Seahawks 0-0
The Patriots’ official Week 1 preview also notes an unusual scheduling milestone: this will be New England’s first Wednesday game in franchise history.
Seattle begins its title defense against the team it beat
Few Week 1 games arrive with this much recent history. Seattle begins its championship defense at home against the same opponent it defeated for the Lombardi Trophy only months earlier.
The Seahawks’ championship run has remained a major part of the offseason story, including the unveiling of the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl 60 championship rings. Now the focus shifts from celebration to defending the title.
For New England, the motivation is different. A Week 1 win cannot undo a Super Bowl defeat, but it would provide an early answer to one of the biggest questions surrounding the Patriots: have they fixed what Seattle exposed in February?
Drake Maye faces the defense that overwhelmed him
The clearest problem from Super Bowl LX was pressure.
Seattle sacked Drake Maye six times, while Patriots analysis showed he was pressured on 52.8% of his dropbacks. That made it difficult for New England to establish rhythm or consistently attack downfield.
Pass protection therefore becomes the most important matchup Wednesday. If Seattle can again collapse the pocket without relying heavily on blitzes, the Seahawks could control the game in much the same way they did in February.
A.J. Brown changes New England’s attack
The Patriots will not bring the exact same offense into the rematch.
New England added A.J. Brown, giving Maye a proven outside receiving threat, while Romeo Doubs also adds depth to the passing game. Those additions should give the Patriots more options against Seattle’s coverage schemes.
Seattle has changed too. Brian Fleury takes over the offense, while Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker is no longer part of the Seahawks’ backfield.
Quarterback Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon and Leonard Williams remain among the central pieces of Seattle’s roster.
Patriots injury report puts key players in focus
New England has important injury situations to monitor before kickoff.
Defensive tackle Christian Barmore is dealing with a knee problem, running back TreVeyon Henderson has an ankle injury and center Ben Brown has also been listed with a knee issue.
Barmore and Henderson did not participate in Sunday’s practice. Their status matters on both sides of the ball: Barmore is important to New England’s defensive front, while Henderson could influence how the Patriots divide their rushing and receiving work from the backfield.
Seattle has its own injury concerns
The Seahawks enter Week 1 with several players to watch as well.
Safety Ty Okada missed Sunday’s practice with a hamstring injury. Safety Nick Emmanwori has been dealing with an ankle issue, while receiver Tory Horton has a hamstring problem.
Offensive linemen Josh Jones and Anthony Bradford have also appeared on the injury report with knee issues, making Seattle’s final practice reports important ahead of kickoff.
Two 14-win teams meet again
The Super Bowl storyline can overshadow just how strong both teams were throughout 2025.
New England and Seattle each finished the regular season 14-3. The Patriots averaged 28.8 points per game, while Seattle averaged 28.4. Defensively, the Seahawks allowed just 17.2 points per game, compared with New England’s 18.8.
Seattle also recorded 47 regular-season sacks, reinforcing why New England’s offensive line is again one of the biggest areas to watch.
The broader NFL and sports news picture will develop quickly once Week 1 begins, but this matchup already carries the feel of a game with postseason-level stakes and attention.
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Recent history favors Seattle
The Seahawks lead the overall series 12-9, including postseason meetings, and have won four consecutive games against New England.
The rivalry has still been remarkably close across its history. Seattle has scored 437 total points in the series, while New England has scored 436.
Before the Super Bowl, the teams last met in September 2024, when Seattle won 23-20 in overtime at Gillette Stadium.
Three battles could decide the rematch
Maye vs Seattle’s pass rush: New England must prevent another game in which pressure controls its offense.
A.J. Brown vs Seattle’s secondary: Brown gives the Patriots a matchup weapon they did not have in the same form during February’s meeting.
Patriots defense vs Seattle’s new-look offense: A new offensive coordinator and personnel changes mean New England cannot simply prepare for the exact Seahawks attack it saw in the Super Bowl.
Seattle has the home crowd, recent history and championship momentum. New England has the opportunity to show that the offseason changed the matchup. That makes Patriots-Seahawks one of the most compelling games on the opening-week schedule.
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