GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 01: Malcolm Butler #21 of the New England Patriots intercepts a pass by Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks intended for Ricardo Lockette #83 late in the fourth quarter during Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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The stage for the 2026 Super Bowl is set between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. With these two teams having faced off in Super Bowl 49, there’s quite a bit of history to unpack.
Below, we’ll be breaking down a few questions around this matchup, including how many championships each team has.
What It Means to Have the Patriots and Seahawks in the Super Bowl Again
For the Patriots, this Super Bowl appearance marks the start of an era featuring Drake Maye. This is the first time that New England has made it to the Super Bowl since having Tom Brady at the helm in the 2018 season.
It’s extremely impressive that since Brady played his last season with the Patriots in 2019, they’ve already found another franchise quarterback and a ton of success.
On the other side, you can make a similar argument with Russell Wilson. While Wilson isn’t on the same level as Brady, they’ve been looking for a franchise quarterback since his last year in Seattle, which came in 2021.
Sam Darnold has had a remarkable story, as this is his 5th team at 28 years old, despite being the 3rd overall pick in 2018. It seems as if he’s finally found the perfect fit.
How Many Super Bowl Titles Does Each Franchise Have?
The Seahawks have just one Super Bowl win, and it came in 2013 with Wilson at the helm. This is a team that’s been able to find success, but they haven’t necessarily been a dynasty.
On the flip side, the Patriots have six Super Bowl wins. Their first win came in 2001, and their last one came in 2018. Every single time, Brady was at quarterback while Bill Belichick was the head coach.
GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 01 : Malcolm Dutler #21 of the New England Patriots intercepts the pass at the goal line late in the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl XLIX February 1, 2015 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Patriots won the game 28-24. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
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Revisiting Super Bowl 49
These two teams were in Super Bowl 49, which resulted in a Patriots win during the 2014 season. Brady would go on to win the Super Bowl MVP as the Patriots won 28-24 in dramatic fashion.
If you’re an NFL fan, you likely already know what happened during this game, but we’ll revisit it anyway. On second and goal with under 30 seconds left, Wilson threw an interception to Malcolm Butler, which sealed the game. You can find this play linked above.
Especially with Marshawn Lynch at running back, who had 1,306 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, this was a shock to many. Regardless, Super Bowl 49 easily had one of the most iconic endings in NFL history.
Can the Seahawks Avenge Their Super Bowl 49 Loss?
After losing to the Patriots in Super Bowl 49, a victory this year would mean that much more to the Seahawks. Right now, FanDuel gives the Seahawks a slight edge with a spread of -4.5.
While that can change as the game gets closer, Seattle is the betting favorite on FanDuel right now. After a 14-3 season where the Seahawks allowed the least PPG (17.1) but scored the second most PPG (29.2), it’s easy to see why they’re slight favorites in the 2026 Super Bowl.