Josh McDaniels is treating the New England Patriots' opener against the Seattle Seahawks as a chance to reset a story that ended badly for him. The Patriots offensive coordinator said the Super Bowl LX loss was his fault, then looked ahead to the rematch and called it a new game.
McDaniels told he did not do a good enough job and told the blame to point at him after Seattle beat New England 29-13 in Super Bowl LX. He added that the teams have learned plenty and that Wednesday night should bring a different game, with new players on both sides and a cleaner chance to limit what the Seahawks found last time.
That is why the 2026 NFL regular-season opener is drawing attention now. The game is only the third Week 1 Super Bowl rematch in NFL history, and the setting gives the Patriots a chance to answer a loss that was one-sided from the start. Seattle led 19-0 in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., and New England did not get beyond seven points until the final three minutes.
The Seahawks did more than protect that lead. Kenneth Walker finished with 161 total scrimmage yards and the MVP award, while Seattle's defense put Drake Maye under constant pressure with six sacks and three turnovers. A pick six in the fourth quarter ended any real doubt about the result. McDaniels can call the sequel different, but the first meeting left no ambiguity about who controlled the game.
There is history behind the schedule, too. The Vikings opened the 1970 season with a win over the Chiefs after losing Super Bowl IV to Kansas City, and the Broncos beat the Panthers in Week 1 in 2016 after defeating Carolina in Super Bowl 50. That is the company New England and Seattle are entering as they open the season on NBC and Peacock.
The Seahawks are scheduled to unveil their Super Bowl LX championship banner before kickoff, a reminder that this is not just a fresh start but also a return to the scene of the defeat. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will call the game, with Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung on the sidelines, and the teams are set for an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff. For McDaniels, the question is no longer whether he owns the loss. It is whether his new year, and New England's new pieces, can produce a different result when the ball is kicked off.
