For the first time since the Malcolm Butler interception in Super Bowl XLIX over a decade ago, the Patriots and the Seahawks meet again with the title on the line in Super Bowl LX. Let’s dive right in after Championship Sunday.

Despite historical struggles on offense for a Super Bowl team, the Patriots are 60 minutes from a Super Bowl after defeating the Broncos in the AFC title game. New England has averaged 18.0 points per game this postseason, the fewest of any Super Bowl team since the 1979 Rams—and it hasn’t looked good, either. But it shouldn’t take away from the job the defense has done in carrying the Pats back to the Big Game, with the CB group and an underrated front doing work.

The big question is obvious: what would the Pats-Broncos matchup have looked like with QB Bo Nix under center? The injury to Denver’s second-year star from the Divisional Round remains surreal, and the value he brings is as evident as ever with the way he elevated the offensive line, receiving group, and team overall.

In the AFC Championship, the Denver snow hit very quickly, with the timelapse showing how crazy fast the snow covered the field to impact most of the second half. The increased difficulty for the offenses made it tough for the Broncos—a team that has struggled with a consistent ground game on top of not having Nix—to move the ball and score. But key plays in the game included a surprising early fourth-down attempt by the Broncos and the second consecutive AFC title game with a highly questionable spot on a QB sneak.

While it’s easy to see and say the path in terms of the offenses faced was uncommonly rare, anything can happen any given Sunday—and New England now has an opportunity to play their best all-around game for their seventh Super Bowl title.

Any lingering doubt about QB Sam Darnold—on his fifth team—seems to be erased, as he had an outstanding performance (25/36, 346 yards, three TDs) in the NFC Championship Game win over the Rams. All-Pro WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba went off for 153 yards and a TD on 10 receptions, while former Rams WR Cooper Kupp came up huge with key catches including a massive TD for Seattle.

The game looked poised to hit the high 30s or low 40s for the final score, but no points were scored in the fourth quarter as the Seahawks defense tightened up and made critical stops of the Matthew Stafford-led offense—with the likely league MVP throwing for 374 yards and three TDs but being unable to find anyone on a crucial fourth down with under five minutes remaining as Mike Macdonald’s defense basically used only two rushers with most of the defense dropping in coverage.

After the loss, Rams HC Sean McVay got frustrated with a reporter, asking what kind of question it is to ask him if he expects Stafford back in 2026—so don’t expect any mystery surrounding that despite Stafford exploring a trade last spring.

Two massive HC hires were made in the past week, with the Steelers and Ravens each finding their new leaders for arguably the NFL’s top rivalry of the past two decades. Pittsburgh went with Super Bowl winner Mike McCarthy, while Baltimore honed in on former Chargers DC Jesse Minter.

There have been a flurry of coordinator and assistant hires in recent days, including:

Additionally, former Falcons HC and NFL OC Arthur Smith has taken the OC job with Ohio State.

The Packers released CB Trevon Diggs after he was claimed by the team late in the season.

The Chargers signed DT Teair Tart to a three-year extension.

Lions OT Dan Skipper officially announced his retirement and intention to get into coaching.

“It’s insane what he’s played through.” Bills TE Dawson Knox says teammate TE Dalton Kincaid played through a torn PCL.

The Giants parted ways with longtime personnel man Kevin Abrams after nearly 30 years.

“Can't wait to see you twice a year, Coach.” Former Browns QB Baker Mayfield ripped his former HC Kevin Stefanski, who is now in the division with the Falcons for twice-per-season matchups.

Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald comically clarified his slow-speaking NFC Championship celebration on stage.

Giants GM Joe Schoen went viral for looking incredibly nervous for new HC John Harbaugh’s press conference, with speculation that he doesn’t feel comfortable with Harbaugh clearly now in command of a franchise that’s struggled mightily under Schoen.

🤔 Only Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2026.

⚾️ MLB moves: The Yankees re-signed OF Cody Bellinger, the Mets traded for OF Luis Robert Jr., and the Guardians extended star 3B Jose Ramirez.

⛳️ Scottie Scheffler won his first start of 2026, making it seven wins in his past 13 PGA TOUR starts.