This coming NFL season is set to begin the same way the last one ended: with a matchup between the Seahawks and Patriots.
Lumped into the league’s 2026 schedule release—one filled with a record nine International Series games, two holiday tripleheaders and plenty of shots taken by teams unveiling their slates on social media—is a Super Bowl LX rematch between Seattle and New England to jumpstart the campaign.
Since 2004, the NFL has traditionally opened its season with the defending Super Bowl champion hosting the annual Kickoff Game on the first Thursday night. That tradition, however, will look slightly different in 2026 for two reasons. First, with the league also staging a Week 1 game in Australia—and needing to comply with the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961—the Seahawks and Patriots will play on Wednesday, Sept. 9, followed by the 49ers and Rams Down Under on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Second, this will be the first Super Bowl rematch in that time slot since 2016—when the Panthers visited the Broncos just months after meeting them on the biggest stage—and sets up the ultimate litmus test for the Patriots.
For those who don’t remember, New England was completely overmatched in its Super Bowl LX defeat to Seattle last February, losing 29–13 in blowout fashion. MVP runner-up Drake Maye completed just 63% of his passes (a far cry from his league-leading 72.0% number in the regular season), threw two interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown) and was sacked a whopping six times (behind an offensive line headlined by first-round pick Will Campbell, who allowed 14 pressures). The Patriots’ defense, meanwhile, allowed running back Kenneth Walker III to run wild on them to the tune of 135 yards on 27 carries (5.0 YPC) and saw quarterback Sam Darnold—once an in-division laughing stock—stay relatively untouched in the pocket before slinging a game-sealing touchdown to AJ Barner in the fourth quarter.
“It’s only valuable if we understand what it takes and what we’re going to need to do to improve,” New England coach Mike Vrabel answered after the game when asked if getting to the Super Bowl was valuable for his team. “If we don’t do that, then it won’t have been very valuable.”
The Patriots took that message to heart this offseason, making several notable moves in an effort to get over the hump. On offense, they essentially one-for-one swapped Stefon Diggs with Romeo Doubs (while seeming to keep a spot in the room earmarked for A.J. Brown), signed Alijah Vera-Tucker from the Jets to man their left guard spot and drafted tackle Caleb Lomu out of Utah in the first round—likely to learn and develop behind veteran Morgan Moses.
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Defensively, New England made a variety of changes as well. After watching safety Jaylinn Hawkins leave for the Ravens in free agency, they answered with the signing of veteran Kevin Byard III—who led the NFL in interceptions last season and thrived under Vrabel during their time together with the Titans. They also brought in edge defender Dre’Mont Jones on a three-year deal and drafted another in Illinois’s Gabe Jacas. Both will slot in alongside Harold Landry III, who is set to enter his second season with the Patriots.
With a far tougher schedule ahead of them and their head coach’s off-field distractions at the forefront, New England’s margin for error heading into 2026 is significantly smaller than it was a year ago. If the Patriots have truly closed the gap on Seattle, they’ll have the chance to prove it, right away, under the lights on opening night.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Patriots’ Week 1 Super Bowl Rematch vs. Seahawks Is the Ultimate Litmus Test.
