It’s a football truth that’s older than the Super Bowl itself.
If a team’s defense can crash into the backfield with just four pass rushers at a high rate, it will contend for the trophy.
This year’s Seattle Seahawks affirmed that truth Sunday night in Super Bowl 60.
An explosive pass rush that never seemed to waver led to a shutout through three quarters and 17 fourth-quarter points, sending the Seahawks to a 29-13 victory and the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy.
The AFC-champion New England Patriots, a 5-point underdog in large part due to Seattle’s NFL-best defense, lacked the stoutness to withstand frequent bull rushes.
That often spells doom.
Nor did the Patriots, who started two rookies on the line’s left line and a past-his-prime veteran at right tackle, have the breadth of blocking aptitude to handle blitzes and fake blitzes at a good rate.
Drake Maye was sacked six times and hit 11 times overall.
Clinching the victory, Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon harried the second-year quarterback into an interception that linebacker Uchenna Nwosu returned 45 yards for a touchdown.
So relentless and deep was Seattle’s attack that it turned the attrition game upside down.
Instead of Seahawks pass rushers wearing down in the fourth quarter, it was the Patriots’ blockers who appeared exhausted.
The strong finish had to be satisfying for the franchise’s famed “Legion of Boom” defenders of the prior era.
Overshadowed in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl loss to Tom Brady and the Patriots 11 years ago was that pass-happy New England wore out Seattle’s pass rush.
In 51 dropbacks by Brady that night in Arizona, the Seahawks had just one sack.
These Patriots, who punted seven times before the last quarter, faced a youthful, deep lineup assembled by talent man John Schneider.
Outside linebacker Derick Hall, 24, began the sack parade with his first of his two sacks by driving rookie left tackle Will Campbell backward.
Rookie tackle Kylie Mills, also 24, overpowered rookie left guard Jaed Wilson for a big takedown. Massive but fit tackle Byron Murphy, 23, wrapped up Maye twice and also recovered a fumble caused by Hall.
In becoming the rare head coach to win a Super Bowl as the defense’s main playcaller, 38-year-old Mike Macdonald leveraged the personnel advantages.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu celebrates after recovering a fumble and running it back for a touchdown during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Two defensive tackles retreated without Maye seeing them, leading to one sack on a simulated blitz. Witherspoon blitzed to get both a sack and the touchdown-creating hit on the QB.
Though the Seahawks put their own spin on this Super Bowl, it wasn’t a unique performance in the NFL’s pinnacle event.
Beginning with the Chiefs’ battering of Vikings blockers and QB Joe Kapp in the fourth Super Bowl, defensive dominance became a theme. The Steelers, Cowboys and 49ers reached similar heights.
Now we’ll see if Maye, 23, can avoid Dan Marino’s fate.
Marino never got back to the Super Bowl after the 49ers overwhelmed his blockers in Super Bowl 19 when Marino, like Maye, was 23. The Dolphins seldom gave Marino him ample support in his 17-year career.
Seattle Seahawks place-kicker Jason Myers, right, makes a field goal during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
San Diego star
Chula Vista’s Jason Myers set a Super Bowl record with five field goals, converting every kick to improve to 13 for 15 (87%) in postseason attempts.
“I don’t even know what to think right now,” Myers told the Seahawks’ radio broadcast. “It doesn’t even feel real.”
Myers, a Mater Dei Catholic High School alum who launched his professional career with two arena teams, connected from 26, 33 and 39 yards, and twice from 41 yards.
The 31-year-old kicker said the team’s cohesiveness on and off the field was a strength dating to spring camp, and held up Sunday.
“It sounds like we’re just feeding that to the media, but that’s honestly the truth,” he said.
Winning big on special teams, the Seahawks also saw punter Michael Dickson pin the Patriots at the 2, 4 and 6.