The 2026 NFL season has kicked off with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
For the reigning Super Bowl champions, the honeymoon period was over almost immediately when Sam Darnold went down during the opening drive.
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Darnold was sacked by Patriots edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones, who jumped on him from behind to bring him to the ground.
He immediately came out of the game as he limped to the sideline.
He was eventually evaluated and ruled out for the remainder of the game with a hip injury.
It has been reported by Ian Rapoport that Darnold and the Seahawks have received positive news following his CT scan, with coach Mike Macdonald saying doctors have ruled out a fractured hip for the 29-year-old.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was forced out of the season opener with a hip injury.Source: FOX SPORTS
The New England Patriots were also rocked by injury, with AJ Brown going down in the third quarter with an apparent ankle injury.
He was later ruled out of the game, finishing the contest with three catches for 26 yards in his Patriots debut after being traded by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Following the game, he was seen leaving the locker room with his right foot in a moon boot according to Andrew Callahan, as the team awaits the results of his X-rays.
With Darnold ruled out of the contest, the responsibility fell to 29-year-old Drew Lock, who came in to lead the Seahawks offence.
The Patriots, though, hit the lead early when Drake Maye connected with rookie tight end Eli Raridon in the second quarter, scoring the first touchdown of the season.
The Patriots would then convert a field goal attempt in the third quarter to take a 10-0 lead before the Seahawks answered the call.
The Seahawks would find their first points of the season through a field goal in the third quarter before Lock connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba to start the fourth quarter, tying the game.
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They would eventually score a field goal with five minutes and 50 seconds to play, but it was Drake Maye who stole the headlines late in the game.
As the Seahawks defence kicked into gear, forcing three interceptions and putting Maye under immense pressure, the problems were becoming clear for the Patriots.
Maye had two fourth-quarter interceptions, with one starting the drive for the Seahawks touchdown to tie the game before the other saw a potential game-winning moment get away from him.
It left the NFL world stunned, including Barstool Sports, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor and Denver Broncos beat reporter Zac Stevens.
“DRAKE MAYE SERVES UP A BACON LETTUCE TOMATO ON SOURDOUGH WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE,” Barstool Sports posted on X.
“What a disaster by Drake Maye. I’m disgusted,” O’Connor added.
“Drake Maye with a TERRIBLE INT. My goodness. Threw the game away,” Stevens wrote.
Maye threw two costly fourth-quarter interceptions as New England let the game slip away late.Source: FOX SPORTS
Spittin’ Chiclets co-host Ryan Whitney, Dov Kleiman and Eagles Pin-Pull podcast host Shane Haff were also strong in their criticism of the third-year quarterback.
“Is that Drake Maye worst game as a pro,” Whitney posted on X.
“Drake Maye has attempted 2 deep passes in this game, and they have both been a disaster. Missing a wide open TD and then this,” Haff wrote.
“DRAKE MAYE IS PICKED OFF AGAIN, ONE OF THE WORST THROWS EVER,” Kleiman added.
Speaking on NBC, former Patriot Devin McCourty spoke about the feelings surrounding Maye and how, in the biggest moments, your best players need to stand up.
“You can play the whole game and it comes down to one play. And in those moments, your best players have to be at their best,” McCourty said.
“Drake Maye will not go to sleep on the flight home tonight. That decision, that ends the game right there.”
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Maye threw three interceptions in the contest, completing 23 of 33 attempts for 173 yards and one touchdown.
Speaking post-game, Maye was quick to take the blame for the Week 1 loss, attributing his lack of patience as one of the reasons they lost the game.
“I lost patience and it costed us,” Maye said in his post-game interview.
“I think just, decisions that cost us the game on my part, on my end.
“I valued myself to be better and realise it’s a long season but at the same time you can’t have those.
“You can’t have those and it’s unacceptable and I know that it’ll get me back to work.”
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel touched on the final drive post-game and the lessons that need to be learned about being aggressive without becoming reckless with the ball.
“I mean we’re trying to be aggressive and obviously win the football game but not reckless,” Vrabel said.
“But we’ll have to learn from it and you know stick together. Never just about one guy. I think everybody knows that by now.”
But despite the frustration with the loss, Vrabel made sure to show his support for his star quarterback.
“It’s a long season. We’re going to hold our head up high. We have nothing but the utmost confidence in him.”
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel stressed the need to be “aggressive… not reckless” after Drake Maye’s costly finish to the NFL season opener.Source: FOX SPORTS
For the Seahawks, Lock was impressive, completing 16 of his 22 attempts for 187 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions as he kept a cool head for the Super Bowl champions.
Lock spoke post-game and touched on what he had told himself when he was thrust into the contest following Darnold’s injury.
“Take care of the football. I know what kind of defence we have,” Lock said post-game.
“I know the playmakers we have on this side of the ball.”
The Patriots have now lost their past five games to the Seahawks, with their last win against them coming in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015.