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Super Bowl 2026 cheat sheet: Everything to know for Patriots vs. Seahawks

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If you’re reading about the Super Bowl, chances are you’re a pretty big football fan and know exactly what to expect Sunday evening. You know that the New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since the end of the Tom Brady era, looking to capture their record-setting seventh Super Bowl title. And you know that the Seattle Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since they made back-to-back trips over a decade ago, and are looking to get revenge for their loss to New England in Super Bowl XLIX.

On the other hand, maybe you don’t know any of that. Maybe you’re just a casual fan whose only engagement with football every year is going to a Super Bowl party and contributing a few words here and there during the commercials. 

In that case, we’ve got you covered. This is the eighth annual casual fan’s guide to the Super Bowl, where we’ll teach you everything you could possibly need to know to turn yourself from a novice into an expert before the game begins. 

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Where to watch Super Bowl 2026: Seahawks vs. Patriots kickoff time, TV channel, live stream and prediction

Zachary Pereles

Where to watch Super Bowl 2026: Seahawks vs. Patriots kickoff time, TV channel, live stream and prediction
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Who’s playing in Super Bowl 60? 

Representing the AFC, we have the New England Patriots. The Pats are making their record-setting 12th trip to the Super Bowl, and their first since the Tom Brady era. If they win this game, they’ll break a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history, with seven.

Representing the NFC are the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle is back in the Super Bowl for a fourth time in franchise history, and the first since losing to the Patriots following the 2014 season. If they win this game, it’ll count as revenge for one of the most dramatic (and traumatic) Super Bowl losses in the history of the league.

What time is the Super Bowl? Where is it? How do I watch?

Date: Sunday, Feb. 8 | Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California)
TV: NBC, stream live on Peacock
Follow: CBS Sports App

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The Super Bowl starts at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. The game will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The NFL rotates the location of the Super Bowl every year because it generally wants to provide a neutral site so that no team has home-field advantage. This has worked out in all but two seasons. 

This year’s broadcast is on NBC and streaming on Peacock. The average Super Bowl broadcast over the past 20 years or so has been about three-and-a-half hours. It’s pretty long. That includes a halftime show that generally lasts 20-30 minutes

Who’s performing at halftime?

It’s international superstar and six-time Grammy Award winner Bad Bunny.

Who are the quarterbacks of the Patriots and Seahawks? 

It’s always a good bet that the quarterbacks will play a big role in the Super Bowl. A quarterback usually wins MVP of the game, after all. A quarterback has won 34 of the previous 59 Super Bowl MVP trophies, and 17 of the last 25 since 2000.  

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The quarterback of the Patriots is Drake Maye (No. 10). Maye is only in his second NFL season after being selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s considered an inner-circle MVP candidate along with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford after Maye led the NFL in completion percentage, yards per attempt, passer rating, QBR and expected points added per play during the regular season. He’s struggled a bit as a passer during the playoffs but his work as a runner has been terrific, especially during the AFC title game against the Denver Broncos.

The quarterback of the Seahawks is Sam Darnold (No. 14). Darnold is also a former No. 3 overall pick, having been selected by the New York Jets back in 2018. He washed out with New York and was traded for a pittance to the Carolina Panthers after his third NFL season. He was quickly benched in Carolina as well, then became a backup for the San Francisco 49ers. Last season, he led the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record but the Vikings allowed him to leave in free agency to turn the quarterback job over to J.J. McCarthy. He signed a free-agent deal with Seattle and led the Seahawks to another 14-3 record. The NFC title game against the Rams was arguably the best game of his NFL career.

Are there other especially notable players I should know? 

Of course! You don’t get to the Super Bowl without a ton of quality talent on your team. 

Let’s start with the Patriots: 

  • Running backs Rhamondre Stevenson (No. 38) and TreVeyon Henderson (No. 32). Stevenson is a fifth-year back who signed a four-year, $36 million contract. He struggled badly to start the season, including having some fumbling issues, but has really come on down the stretch of the season and relegated Henderson to a bit role. Henderson is a rookie who specializes in explosive plays. He filled in as the lead back in place of Stevenson when the latter was hurt during the season, but has since slid back into a secondary role. 
  • Wide receiver Stefon Diggs (No. 8). A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Diggs signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract with the Patriots this past offseason. He tore his ACL last year but has been fully healthy throughout this season. He’s Maye’s top option in the passing game despite not playing a full complement of snaps.
  • Offensive lineman Will Campbell (No. 66) Campbell was the Patriots’ first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, being selected with the No. 4 overall pick. He had a solid rookie year but has occasionally struggled in pass protection, especially with speed around the edge. He also missed time with an injury toward the end of the regular season and hasn’t looked his best since then. 
  • Defensive linemen Milton Williams (No. 97), Khyiris Tonga (No. 95) and Christian Barmore (No. 90). Williams signed a monster free-agent deal with the Patriots last offseason and has been fantastic in his role. The New England defense reaches a different level when he’s on the field. Tonga signed a low-cost deal with New England this past offseason and has been a revelation, specifically as a run defender. He also occasionally operates as a fullback when the Pats get into short-yardage situations. Barmore is on a four-year, $84 million contract extension signed back in 2024. He was New England’s second-round pick in 2021, and he’s largely been a very good player since then. He missed most of the 2024 season due to blood clots but returned this year.
  • Cornerback Christian Gonzalez (No. 0). Gonzalez is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He is often charged with “shadowing” the opposing team’s top wide receiver (i.e. following him all over the field, no matter where he lines up) and could be asked to do that in this game with Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba (more on him below). 

And what about the Seahawks?

  • Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (No. 11). JSN had one of the best wide receiver seasons in recent memory, catching 119 passes for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is by far the top target for Darnold in the passing game, lining up all over the formation and breaking opponents down with his silky-smooth route running and soft-but-strong hands. 
  • Running back Kenneth Walker III (No. 9). Walker is the Seahawks’ feature back in the wake of an injury to co-starter Zach Charbonnet. Known for his explosive runs, Walker isn’t the most consistent runner on a down-to-down basis but he is a threat to score any time he touches the ball. 
  • Defensive linemen Leonard Williams (No. 99), Demarcus Lawrence (No. 0), Uchenna Nwosu (No. 7) and Byron Murphy (No. 91). Seattle’s defensive front is one of the best in all of football, if not the best. These guys are absolute game-wreckers who destroy opposing offensive lines both in the run game and when rushing the passer. If there is any area in this game where the Seahawks have a big advantage, it is with this group against New England’s so-so-at-best offensive line in front of Maye. 
  • Defensive backs Devon Witherspoon (No. 21) and Nick Emmanwori (No. 3). Witherspoon and Emmanwori are key to making head coach Mike Macdonald’s defense work. Witherspoon is an elite cornerback who splits his time between lining up outside and in the slot. Emmanwori is nominally a safety but spends much of his time operating as a slot corner or passing-down linebacker, and he’s been fantastic in the dual role during his rookie season.
  • Wide receiver/Returner Rashid Shaheed (No. 22). The Seahawks traded for Shaheed during the season, acquiring him from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for fourth- and fifth-round picks. He has mostly made his impact in the return game but also operates as a complementary receiver alongside Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.

There are obviously more notable players, but this list is a good start.  

Who are the coaches of the Patriots and Seahawks? 

The head coach of the Patriots is Mike Vrabel. A former longtime Patriots linebacker who won three Super Bowls with the franchise in 2001, 2003 and 2004, Vrabel is a CEO-style coach (i.e. he does not call plays on either side of the ball) who leans toward the defensive side of the ball. He is the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans, having gone 54-45 in six seasons with Tennessee while also leading the Titans to one AFC title game. He was fired by Tennessee amid a power struggle with the front office and sat out the 2024 season before landing the Patriots’ coaching job last offseason. He led one of the biggest single-season turnarounds in league history, taking the Patriots from 4-13 to 14-3 in just one year. 

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The head coach of the Seahawks is Mike Macdonald. Macdonald is widely considered one of the best defensive minds in the NFL. A longtime assistant and former defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, Macdonald landed the Seattle job as part of the 2024 head coaching cycle. He quickly built one of the league’s best defenses, which took off down the stretch of the 2024 campaign and remained elite throughout this season. Macdonald fired former offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after his initial season as the head coach, hiring Klint Kubiak (more on him below) in his place, which helped the offense take another step forward and lead the Seahawks to a 14-3 record during the regular season. 

The Patriots and Seahawks also both have several well-known assistant coaches.

  • New England’s offensive coordinator is Josh McDaniels. McDaniels was the longtime offensive coordinator for the Patriots during the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era. He has been a head coach twice in his career but each stint was extremely unsuccessful, so he is back in New England under Vrabel, who brought him in to elevate Maye’s career. 
  • The Patriots’ defensive coordinator is Terrell Williams. Williams has been dealing with a cancer diagnosis throughout this season and has been away from the team, but he is expected to travel to the Bay Area for the game. Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr has been calling the defensive plays in Williams’ place and should be expected to do so again during the Super Bowl.
  • The Seahawks’ offensive coordinator is Klint Kubiak. One of the hottest head coaching candidates on the market this offseason, Kubiak is a highly respected offensive mind. A member of the famed Shanahan coaching tree, he runs an offense that emphasizes the run game and play-action passing. He’s considered a front-runner for the open Las Vegas Raiders head coaching job.
  • Seattle’s defensive coordinator is Aden Durde. A former defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys, Durde hails from London, England, which is quite unusual for an NFL coach. He doesn’t call the defensive plays, as that responsibility lies with Macdonald. 

What’s a good talking point to bring up with fans of each team? 

  • Patriots fans: We’re back on top! (The Patriots were the winningest franchise in the NFL during the Tom Brady era.)
  • Seahawks fans: Revenge! (The Seahawks lost to the Patriots in traumatic fashion in Super Bowl XLIX.)

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4 early observations from the ground at Augusta National

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Connor scores twice, Scheifele hits milestone as Jets roll past Kraken

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WINNIPEG — Kyle Connor scored twice while Jonathan Toews and Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist each to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Monday night.

Brad Lambert and Vladislav Namestnikov, into an empty net, also scored for the Jets (34-31-12), who have collected points in seven of their last nine games (6-2-1).

Mark Scheifele registered three assists, while Josh Morrissey provided a pair.

Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for the win at Canada Life Centre.

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Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann replied for the Kraken (32-33-11), who extended their losing streak to five games and have lost nine of their last 10 (1-7-2).

Seattle starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer left the game with an undisclosed injury in the second period after allowing three goals on 15 shots. Joey Daccord entered in relief and made 10 saves.

The Kraken opened the scoring at 9:17 of the first period when Eberle netted his team-leading 25th of the season, marking the fourth consecutive game Winnipeg has surrendered the opening goal.

The Jets responded on the man advantage at 12:39 when Toews, who was moved back to the top power-play unit in Sunday’s practice, put in his 10th of the campaign to tie the game.

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Winnipeg took control in the second period with a pair of power-play markers. Vilardi gave the Jets their first lead at 9:55, followed by Connor’s team-leading 37th goal of the season at 12:09.

Seattle cut the deficit to 3-2 at 2:28 of the third period on a goal by McCann. The assist went to Kaapo Kakko, extending his point streak to three games.

Lambert restored the two-goal cushion at 5:59 of the final frame to seal the win, with Connor and Namestikov adding insurance markers.

Jets: Winnipeg’s special teams dominated the matchup, as the club scored three times on the power play for the first time all season.

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Kraken: The loss dealt a devastating blow to Seattle’s bid for a playoff spot, costing the club an opportunity to close the gap in the highly competitive Western Conference wild-card race.

With Seattle seizing momentum after cutting the lead to one early in the third period, Lambert fired home his third goal of the season to make it 4-2. Lambert celebrated the insurance marker right in front of the Kraken bench and his uncle, Seattle head coach Lane Lambert.

Scheifele registered his 900th career NHL point with his secondary assist on Connor’s second-period goal.

Jets: Visit the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.

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Kraken: Visit the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

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The Masters: McKibbin enjoying ‘surreal’ start to his first Masters week

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Although delighted to be part of the field, McKibbin is eager to make his mark and acknowledges the famous course is challenging.

Long fairways and “pristine” greens are what he will encounter but he wants to leave on Sunday happy with his week’s work.

Whether that means playing through the weekend or making a charge at the leaderboard remains to be seen, but making the most of this opportunity is his primary motivation.

“Some of the holes are very long, especially around 10 and 11, you’re hitting a lot of long irons into the greens which look pretty small from there, but the golf course is just incredible,” he noted.

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“I’ve played it a few times now and it’s everything you could imagine, so to play more over the week is pretty cool.

“The greens are absolutely perfect, so pristine, quick and once you get out onto the course, there are some pretty crazy slopes on them you can really play around with.

“The golf course changes so much over the week, I don’t know what to expect, but I would just like to have a nice week, play well and see where that is. Your first one there aren’t a lot of expectations, but I want to have a good week.”

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Ryan Garcia names the most ‘horribly overrated’ fighter in boxing

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WBC welterweight world champion Ryan Garcia has named the man whom he believes to be the most overrated fighter in the sport, saying that the hype is ‘premature’.

Despite knocking out Luke Campbell for the WBC Interim lightweight title back in January 2021, it took over five years for Garcia to finally claim world honours, with some fans thinking along the way that the ‘overrated’ label suited his own campaign.

That long-awaited victory came in February, as ‘King Ry’ dominated proceedings against Mario Barrios to properly announce his return to the big time and receive the plaudits that his skills merit.

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Now, Garcia sits as one of the biggest names in the sport and the Californian is being linked to a mammoth rematch with rival and reigning WBO welterweight champion, Devin Haney.

Despite criticising Haney in the past, on the Creators Think Podcast when quizzed to name the most ‘horribly overrated’ active boxer, Garcia opted not to select his fierce foe. Instead, he looked upwards toward the super-welterweight division, playing down the abilities of Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.

“Horribly overrated? Today, I would say ‘Boots’ Ennis. I know that I have said that before on a stream and got some hate but, at this point where they are hyping up like he is the next everything, I think it’s a little premature and [that he is] overrated.”

Ennis held the unified IBF and WBA welterweight world titles but moved up to 154lbs late last year, knocking out Uisma Lima upon his debut in the division.

At the end of June, the ‘Boots’ will challenge for the unified WBA and WBO super-welterweight titles against the youngest unified champion in boxing, Puerto Rico’s Xander Zayas.

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There is a possibility that Garcia, still just 27, will move up to 154lbs in the future. If he does so, Ennis may want to answer the above comments inside the ropes.

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Fabregas Reacts As Okoye Shines In Udinese Draw

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Maduka Okoye delivered an outstanding performance, but Cesc Fabregas admitted he was not fully satisfied with his team after Como’s goalless draw with Udinese on Monday night.

Fabregas said the game was tight and very tactical, with both sides struggling to find space and control the tempo.

“Both teams had difficulties finding spaces, it was a very tactical game and nobody really took the initiative,” he said.

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Despite his side creating two good chances, Fabregas was not impressed with how Como handled the ball, noting that several players did not perform at their best.

“In general, I didn’t like the way the team played in possession, there were many players who were below par today,” he added.

The Como boss also pointed out that Udinese offered little attacking threat, but stressed the importance of staying solid at the back.

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“At the same time, Udinese created very little danger and we kept our 15th clean sheet.”

Fabregas admitted he expected more from his team but accepted the result, especially given recent challenges.

“When you are in these situations, it is important not to lose and not to concede, even if I am the first to admit that I expected more.”

Okoye was the key figure in the match, making several important saves to deny Como and secure a clean sheet for Udinese.

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Callum Smith vs David Morrell fight off after injury suffered in Smith training camp

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The upcoming battle between Callum Smith and David Morrell will no longer be happening.

Smith last fought in February 2025 when he was involved in a fight of the year contender against Joshua Buatsi, claiming the unanimous decision win in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to secure the WBO interim light heavyweight title.

Over 12 months on from that bout, he was set to make his long-awaited return against Morrell in his hometown of Liverpool on April 18, but with less than two weeks to go until the showdown, disaster has unfortunately struck.

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According to journalist Mike Coppinger, the Liverpudlian has been forced to pull out of the bout after sustaining an injury whilst training.

“Callum Smith suffered an injury in training camp and is withdrawing from his light heavyweight fight vs. David Morrell on April 18 in Liverpool, sources tell Ring Magazine.”

Smith was hoping to move one step closer to becoming a two-weight world champion, having previously reigned as WBC super-middleweight champion thanks to a win over George Groves in 2018 before he lost that belt to Canelo Alvarez in 2020.

That prompted the move to 175lbs, and despite a defeat to Artur Beterbiev in January 2024, Smith remained one of the key fighters in the light heavyweight division.

The bout against former WBA Regular champion Morrell was set to serve as a tough test for Smith, with Morrell only having lost to David Benavidez in his career so far, but now it is unknown whether or not the clash between the two men will be rescheduled.

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Hurt Coco Gauff pens emotional message after facing brutal social media abuse over new photoshoot

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Coco Gauff recently penned an emotional message after facing brutal social media abuse over her new photoshoot. The American stated that the constant criticism reminded her why she shouldn’t be active on certain platforms.

Gauff is one of the WTA’s biggest women’s singles stars and the 22-year- old draws an immense amount of attention for her actions on and off the tennis court. Earlier this month, the two-time Grand Slam champion posed for fashion brand Miu Miu, but her look for the photoshoot gained immense scrutiny, with many expressing their disappointment about her natural hair.

Reacting to the hate, Coco Gauff wrote on X,

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“Deleted twitter for a month, came back today, and got instantly reminded why I should not be on here lol :/.”

At the Miami Open earlier this year, Gauff had admitted that she was taking a break from X to avoid the online toxicity.

Coco Gauff weighs in on social media negativity, demands accountability from platforms

Gauff speaks to the media at the 2026 Miami Open (Image Source: Getty)Gauff speaks to the media at the 2026 Miami Open (Image Source: Getty)
Gauff speaks to the media at the 2026 Miami Open (Image Source: Getty)

At the 2025 German Open, Coco Gauff discussed at length the negativity on social media surrounding players. In a conversation with the media, she shared that tennis stars often receive death threats and that online users frequently message family members as well, saying,

“It’s the worst you can get. Death threats, to your family, to yourself. I’ve had people DM [direct message] my boyfriend and friends about it. Racist comments, like all you can imagine. Nudity, things like that. It’s a gross kind of thing that we have going on in tennis.”

She went on to demand accountability from platforms, asking them to ‘step in’ in order to foster a more healthy environment for everyone,

“It’s something that we have to keep bringing awareness to. I would love for some of the social media platforms to get involved, not only when it comes to tennis players. Influencers, other athletes, they all get these comments, so it’s something that can be addressed. I know the WTA is doing what they can to make us feel protected, but I definitely think that a lot of these platforms can step in as well.”

On the tennis end of things, Coco Gauff was last seen in action at the Miami Open. The Florida-native reached the finals on home ground, before going down against World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.