Dolphins hiring former Eagles OC Kevin Patullo as pass game coordinator, AP source says By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer The Associated Press MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is joining the Miami Dolphins as their pass game coordinator, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the hiring. ESPN first reported the move.
Patullo was let go by the Eagles last month after a lackluster season calling plays. He'll now join new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley's staff and return to the role he held before being promoted to Philadelphia's offensive coordinator in 2025.
Patullo had been the Eagle's passing game coordinator since 2021, but when the Eagles lost OC Kellen Moore after winning the Super Bowl in 2025 — Moore took the head job in New Orleans — they turned to Patullo to maintain familiarity and continuity for quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley and receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
The in-house move did not pan out. Philadelphia seemed out of sync most of the season, finishing 24th in total offense at 311.2 yards a game and 19th in scoring at 22.3 points a game.
Miami finished the season ranked 25th in total offense and 25th in passing offense at 184.4 yards per game.
Hafley has said his staff is nearly put together. He has brought in former Green Bay Packers linebackers coach Sean Duggan as defensive coordinator and former Buffalo Bills special teams coordinator Chris Tabor for the same role. Bobby Slowik was also promoted from pass game coordinator to offensive coordinator.
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Raiders introduce new coach Klint Kubiak with a nod to their storied past By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writers The Associated Press HENDERSON, Nev.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — They were introduced one by one, six ex-players who represent Raiders royalty. Four Hall of Famers. Five Super Bowl champions. All six at least made the big game.
Three took seats to the left and the other three to the right before new Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak was formally introduced Tuesday and sat with general manager John Spytek in the middle with the club's three Lombardi Trophies in front of them.
Those players — Marcus Allen, Rich Gannon, Mike Haynes, Howie Long, Jim Plunkett and Charles Woodson — maintained serious looks on their faces as if kickoff was about to begin. And, in a sense, it was.
Their presence was a reminder of the daunting challenge Kubiak faces in trying to connect the present to the Raiders' long-ago glorious past.
The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since their last Super Bowl appearance in the 2002 season. They have made the postseason just twice since, most recently in the 2021 season. Kubiak will be their fifth full-time coach since moving to Las Vegas in 2020.
“This is no ordinary job," said Kubiak, just two days removed from serving as offensive coordinator on the Seahawks' Super Bowl-championship team . “This is the silver and black. This is the Raiders. This is a historic franchise. So when the opportunity came up to stay in Seattle and continue there or to have a chance to come here and compete with this organization, it was a no-brainer.”
Kubiak acknowledged the task in front of him, but will take a day to bask in the Super Bowl parade on Wednesday in Seattle.
Then he will have a number of issues to confront, including hiring a coaching staff — most notably offensive and defensive coordinators. He also will begin to dig into what to do with the No. 1 overall draft pick the Raiders own, as well as the more than $91 million in salary-cap space, according to overthecap.com. And then there's the Maxx Crosby situation.
Kubiak said he was just getting started when it comes to hiring his assistants as well as examining the roster needs. He stopped far short of saying the Raiders will draft Fernando Mendoza, even though it's widely believed Las Vegas will take the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who guided Indiana to a highly unlikely national championship .
Owner Mark Davis watched Mendoza that night in Miami Gardens, Florida, and was joined by Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady. Davis hinted the organization was taking a strong look at Mendoza, and the Raiders preferred to hire a coach with an offensive background "that could grow with somebody."
“It started being, in my mind, that's the direction we wanted to go,” Davis said. "But at the same time, he had to win the job because there were some good candidates that we spoke to.”
One big selling point was Kubiak's work with quarterback Sam Darnold.
Darnold completed 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions this season. Drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold was considered a bust until leading Minnesota to a 14-win season in 2024. Then came another 14-win season with the Seahawks that culminated with Darnold hoisting the Lombardi Trophy .
“I’m really proud of the process that we put in place," Spytek said. “We set out to take our time, to be deliberate, to be meticulous, to find the right leader for this organization going forward. We have a uniquely challenging offseason with the first overall pick and new leadership with the head coach, but that’s why it was so important to us to find the right man to lead this organization forward.”
The elephant that wasn't in the room during the presser was Crosby. Multiple reports have said the star pass rusher wants out of the Raiders after being sidelined the final two games this past season and that he also wasn't interested in a rebuild.
But Crosby, even if he wasn't in the team room for the news conference, was in the building and among the Raiders to greet Kubiak upon his arrival. They even had coffee together.
“We want him to be a part of our success going forward,” Kubiak said. "There’s no doubt about that. He’s one of the best players in the NFL, so that’s a no brainer to get to work with Maxx and see him continue to have success with this organization.”
Davis said he definitely wanted to keep Crosby in Las Vegas.
“Maxx has been a great, great Raider,” Davis said. “He is a great Raider.”
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Drake Maye will try to become the rare QB to get back to Super Bowl and win after losing debut By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Drake Maye has a long career ahead of him to try to bounce back from flopping in his Super Bowl debut .
The second-youngest quarterback to start in a Super Bowl committed three turnovers, took six sacks and couldn't get the New England Patriots on the scoreboard until the fourth quarter of a 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
While the 23-year-old Maye should have plenty of chances down the road to get back and win on the NFL's biggest stage, history shows that's not quite as easy as it may seem.
Dan Marino, the only quarterback younger than Maye to start a Super Bowl — by 35 days — never got back after losing his Super Bowl debut to San Francisco following the 1984 season.
That's more typical. Only seven of the 36 quarterbacks before Maye to lose their first start in the Super Bowl eventually made it back as a starter, with only four winning it all.
Jalen Hurts was the last quarterback to break through after losing his Super Bowl debut, winning the title and MVP in the 2024 season — two years after falling short against Kansas City.
Before Hurts’ championship, it had been a long time for a QB to get Super Bowl redemption after losing his first trip, with John Elway the last to do it when he won it all for Denver in the 1997 season following three straight losses earlier in his career.
Bob Griese avenged himself a year after losing Super Bowl 6, capping Miami’s perfect 17-0 season in 1972 by beating Washington for the championship.
The only other quarterback to do it was Kansas City’s Len Dawson, who lost Super Bowl 1 to Green Bay and won it all three years after against Minnesota.
Three other quarterbacks made it back but lost, with Jim Kelly going 0-4 in Super Bowls, Fran Tarkenton 0-3 and Craig Morton 0-2.
Seahawks dominant defense
The Seahawks once again used a dominant defense to win a Super Bowl, shutting down Maye and the Patriots in similar fashion to what they did 12 years ago against Peyton Manning and Denver.
Now the question is, where does Seattle stand when compared to the Legion of Boom defense and other top units that went on memorable Super Bowl runs?
Some advanced metrics like the efficiency stat DVOA , which takes into account how a defense rates compared to the rest of the league based on situation and quality of opponent, have this year's Seahawks defense ranked with the past greats.
Seattle's defense ranks fourth best among all Super Bowl-winning defenses since 1978 in DVOA counting the regular season and playoffs, coming in behind the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 1985 Chicago Bears and the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, and ahead of Seattle's 2013 team.
The Seahawks forced eight punts and a fumble on the first nine drives of the game for New England before finally allowing a score with 12:27 to play. That's the fourth-longest scoreless stretch to start a Super Bowl and longest since Minnesota didn't score until there was 10:33 left against Pittsburgh in Super Bowl 9.
The Seahawks allowed 78 yards in the first three quarters for the fewest through three quarters since the Patriots had just 58 in Super Bowl 20 against the Chicago Bears defense that is viewed by many as the best ever.
In all, Seattle became the fourth team in Super Bowl history to force at least eight punts and three turnovers, with the 2000 Ravens defense the last to do that against the New York Giants.
It was all part of a dominant season, with the Seahawks tying for the second-best point differential in the regular season and playoffs of any Super Bowl champion since the 2000 season. Seattle's 12.3 points-per-game advantage was just a tick behind the 2013 version at plus 12.4.
The Seahawks lost just three games by a combined nine points, becoming the first Super Bowl champion to be outscored by single digits in its losses since Washington lost two games by a total of five points in 1991.
Darnold protects the ball
Protecting the ball was a major problem for Sam Darnold for much of the regular season, when he led the NFL with 20 turnovers.
But starting with a clean performance in a Week 18 win over San Francisco to clinch the division and No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, Darnold didn't turn the ball over once in his final four games. He became the first QB to win a Super Bowl in a season that he led the NFL in turnovers since Eli Manning had 27 for the New York Giants in 2007.
Darnold became the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl without a postseason turnover since Drew Brees did it in the 2009 season for the New Orleans Saints.
Darnold's ability to avoid mistakes helped Seattle become the first Super Bowl champion ever to go through an entire postseason without a turnover. Six teams did it with only one turnover, with Kansas City the last to do that in the 2022 season.
Only two Super Bowl champions since the 2000 season had more than the 28 turnovers Seattle had in the regular season, with Denver committing 31 in 2015 and the Giants 34 in 2007.
Run for MVP
Winning a regular-season MVP as a running back has become essentially impossible as the league has relied more on passing and voters typically view quarterbacks as the most valuable position.
Adrian Peterson was the last non-quarterback to win the award in 2012 season, but the drought for running backs was even longer when it came to Super Bowl MVP before Kenneth Walker III snapped it .
Walker became the first running back since Terrell Davis 28 years ago to win Super Bowl MVP after rushing for 135 yards — the most in a Super Bowl since Davis' 157 in his MVP game against Green Bay on Jan. 25, 1998 — and catching two more passes for 20 yards.
Walker became the eighth running back to win the award, matching the total for wide receivers. Quarterbacks typically win Super Bowl MVP, doing it in 34 of the 60 Super Bowls. Wide receivers have eight, and nine Super Bowls had an MVP on the defensive side, with Randy White and Harvey Martin sharing it for Dallas in the 1977 season.
Desmond Howard is the only special teams player to get the award thanks to his kickoff return TD for Green Bay against New England 29 years ago.
Walker was the rare offensive player to win Super Bowl MVP without throwing a TD pass or scoring a touchdown, with Joe Namath (Super Bowl 3), Fred Biletnikoff (Super Bowl 11), Deion Branch (Super Bowl 39) and Julian Edelman (Super Bowl 53) the others to do it.
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Seahawks enjoy morning beers, praise 'best team in the world' as Seattle celebrates Super Bowl title By ANDREW DESTIN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press SEATTLE
SEATTLE (AP) — Ernest Jones IV dropped a few choice words while praising his defensive teammates, his offensive line, his quarterback and the city of Seattle ahead of the Seahawks' Super Bowl victory parade on Wednesday.
Like the rest of the Seahawks, the leader of Seattle's vaunted “Dark Side” defense had an excuse for using the occasional profanity during a morning trophy presentation at Lumen Field. A keg of Bud Light sat on the stage to provide some refreshment for players, and Jones — like many who spoke before him — sipped from a cup of beer as he addressed a crowd that the team estimated at 50,000.
The hard-hitting linebacker stated what became abundantly clear to everyone who watched Seattle's 29-13 dismantling of the New England Patriots on Sunday in Santa Clara, California.
“Not only do we have the best defense in the world,” Jones said, “we have the best team in the world.”
The architect of that defense, president of football operations John Schneider, was also in a jovial mood with a red plastic cup in hand ahead of the second Super Bowl victory parade in the Seahawks’ 50-year history. Seattle won its first championship 12 years ago.
In addition to praising second-year coach Mike Macdonald, Schneider gave a toast to late owner Paul Allen.
Two weeks ago, ESPN reported the Seahawks would go up for sale after the Super Bowl . But Wednesday was about celebrating what Seattle accomplished under Jody Allen, who has owned the team since her brother, a co-founder of Microsoft, died in 2018 at age 65.
“Jody,” Schneider said. “Paul would be so proud of you, the way you led this organization and allowed us to be where we are. To Jody Allen.”
Sam Darnold also gave credit to Allen, Schneider and Macdonald during his brief speech. Jones vehemently defended Darnold after his four-interception game in mid-November , which turned out to be the Seahawks’ last loss of the season. The Super Bowl was their 10th straight victory.
“A lot of people didn’t believe in me,” Darnold said, “but it didn’t matter because the ones that are close believed in me, including y’all.”
Darnold had plenty of doubters even while leading the Seahawks to 14 regular-season victories and helping Jaxon Smith-Njigba set franchise records for yards receiving (1,793) and receptions (119).
Smith-Njigba, the AP Offensive Player of the Year , credited his teammates and coaches with his success Wednesday, as he did all season.
“We’re the best in the world. Best in the world,” Smith-Njigba said. “Sam Darnold, Mike Macdonald, it don’t matter. Best defense in the world. We had one goal, and that was to bring this home. And that’s what we did. To the best fans in the world, this is for y’all.”
During the parade, tight end AJ Barner, wearing a tank top and a cowboy hat, danced down the middle of 4th Avenue and high-fived fans. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams showered fans with beer from the top of a sightseeing bus.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson rode around on a vintage metro bus . The Seattle Police Department said it made no arrests during the parade.
City officials estimated that up to 1 million fans would line the 2-mile parade route, which ultimately had to be extended because of the massive turnout. Some kids climbed trees to get a better look at their beloved team — even after the Seattle Public Schools District announced its schools would remain open and that parade attendance would not be considered an excused absence.
Championship parades have been a rare occurrence in Seattle since the SuperSonics became the city's first major professional franchise in 1967.
The SuperSonics — who have since left Seattle — commemorated their 1979 championship with a parade. The WNBA's Seattle Storm had parades after three of their four titles. Neither the Mariners (MLB) nor the NHL's expansion Kraken has won a championship.
Williams said there will be more celebrations to come for the Seahawks.
“We’re not done,” Williams said. “We’re coming back next year.”
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Stefanski stays tight-lipped as Falcons face fallout from James Pearce Jr.’s arrest By MAURA CAREY AP Sports Writer The Associated Press FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski introduced the team's offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators on Wednesday, but not without making a statement on James Pearce Jr.’s arrest first.
“On the James Pearce situation, there’s really nothing to add,” Stefanski said. “Our coaches will defer to the statement that was put out, so respectfully, I understand there’s questions, but we don’t have much to add there.”
Pearce was arrested on Saturday night after what the Doral Police Department said was a domestic dispute with WNBA player Rickea Jackson. He was arrested after crashing his car in an attempt to evade police. He faces five felony charges, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated stalking.
Peace posted a bond of $20,500 on Sunday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. His attorney says Pearce “maintains his innocence.”
After a nearly complete overhaul of the Falcons’ staff following an 8-9 season, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is one of few remaining coaches who has experience with Pearce.
Pearce’s rookie season was Ulbrich’s first as Atlanta’s defensive coordinator. The linebacker led the team with 10.5 sacks.
“It’s an unfortunate situation. Just don’t have all the details of it yet,” Ulbrich said Wednesday, adding that it was disappointing news.
On establishing a succession plan for Pearce, Ubrich added: “It’s still so early, you know, it’s still so early. We’re not there yet.”
The Falcons traded their 2026 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Rams for last year's No. 26 overall pick, where they selected Pearce. The Falcons' pass rush saw significant improvement in 2025, setting a team record with 57 sacks, 26 more than the year prior.
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Raiders officially hire Klint Kubiak head coach after his Super Bowl win with Seahawks By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer The Associated Press HENDERSON, Nev.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders made it official Monday by announcing Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will be their next head coach.
Kubiak arrived in Las Vegas on Monday fresh off a 29-13 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Among the questions facing Kubiak, who will be formally introduced Tuesday, as he takes over:
— Who he will hire as his coordinators on offense and defense?
If Kubiak brings coaches with him from Seattle, he could consider quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko for offensive coordinator and Aden Durde on the defensive side. It obviously would be a promotion for Janocko, though Kubiak might call the plays. Durde is the Seahawks' DC, but he would have the opportunity to have full control of the defense, unlike in Seattle where coach Mike Macdonald calls plays on that side of the ball.
— What to do about defensive end Maxx Crosby?
Two NFL reporters have said that the Raiders' star pass rusher wants out. He wasn't happy about being placed on injured reserve with two games left this past season and might not have the appetite for another rebuild attempt. Crosby said on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” that no such talk came from him , but he also didn't deny he wanted out.
The Raiders could get a haul by trading the 28-year-old Crosby and perhaps even accelerate the rebuild. Dallas got two first-rounders and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark by shipping Micah Parsons to Green Bay .
— How will he prepare for free agency and the draft?
Las Vegas has the No. 1 pick and more than $91 million in salary cap space, according to overthecap.com, so the Raiders have the opportunity to greatly upgrade their roster. It's almost certain they will use that top pick on Fernando Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy and quarterbacked Indiana to the national championship .
But the Raiders will need to surround Mendoza with a lot more talent than is currently on the roster. Their top priorities likely will be improving the offensive line and finding a No. 1 wide receiver. The defense doesn't have a glaring weakness, but can use help throughout that side of the ball.
Kubiak, 38, confirmed during an on-field interview with NFL Network after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl on Sunday that he was heading to Las Vegas . Not that it was a surprise.
Kubiak and the Raiders began working toward finalizing an agreement more than a week ago for him to take the job, a person with knowledge of the discussions said at the time. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no contract was in place and no announcement could be made until after the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California.
He'll be the third coach in three seasons for the Raiders and fifth full-time leader since they moved to Las Vegas in 2020. He succeeds Pete Carroll , who went 3-14 in one season in Las Vegas after a storied run with Seattle that included two Super Bowl appearances and one championship.
The Raiders have been searching for a path back to their glory days. Three Lombardi Trophies sit in the team’s facility, but the Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since their last Super Bowl appearance in the 2002 season. They have made the postseason just twice since, most recently in the 2021 season.
Kubiak oversaw a Seahawks offense that went from being ranked 18th the year before in scoring to third in the NFL this season and from 14th to eighth in yardage.
His work with quarterback Sam Darnold was particularly notable. Darnold completed 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions this season. Drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold had been considered a bust until leading Minnesota to a 14-win season in 2024. But the Vikings moved on from Darnold, and he proved that season was no fluke, winning 14 games in the regular season with Seattle and three more in the playoffs to hoist the Lombardi Trophy .
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Despite Super Bowl loss, Patriots believe they have the ability to return and win more titles By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer The Associated Press
Just as New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel had done throughout his team’s surprise run to the NFL’s biggest stage, he made sure he was the first person to offer hugs to his players as they exited the field following Sunday’s Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Yes, the Patriots fell short of capturing a record seventh Lombardi Trophy.
But this season they showed that they have the coach, quarterback and the culture in place to continue to put this version of the franchise in position to add another one soon.
“That’s what motivates you,” Maye said. "That’s what we talk about in the locker room. That’s what fuels you.“
When Patriots owner Robert Kraft set out to course-correct after firing Jerod Mayo just a year into his effort to succeed Bill Belichick, he said only that he wanted to find a coach that could put the team in position to qualify for the playoffs in short order.
Enter Vrabel, who helped put together a roster that transformed the defense and put some much-needed playmaking ability around second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
That included bringing back a familiar face in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to give Maye not only someone he could learn from, but that he could trust.
The result was a regular season in which Maye was given the scheme and freedom to be himself. He used it to put together a season where he was the league’s most efficient passer on the way to finishing second in MVP voting.
The run brought back goodwill with an impatient Patriots fan base that became used to being in the Super Bowl mix during the era led by Tom Brady and Belichick.
They just need to make some adjustments, particularly on the offensive line, following a poor Super Bowl performance.
But it’s a task the players are ready to attack for a coach who has shown them what is possible in New England again.
What’s working
The biggest thing Maye leaves this season with is confidence. He drilled down on finding the balance between not “being a check-down Charlie” and throwing the deep ball.
He is now able to keep defenses off balance and has the receivers who can turn shorter routes into long gains.
What needs help
The offensive line made some strides from Maye’s rookie season when he was sacked 34 times. But that number increased to 47 this season following the addition of veteran right tackle Morgan Moses and rookie left guard Jared Wilson. And a Super Bowl where Maye was sacked six times showed there is still need for improvement. Look for it to be a focus this offseason.
Stock up
Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson showed why the Patriots felt he was worthy of a second-round pick. While he was a liability in pass protection at times, with four rushing TDs of more than 50 yards he added a needed dimension to the offense.
Stock down
Rookie left tackle Will Campbell promised to fight and die to protect Maye when he was drafted at No. 4 in 2025. But a change to guard could be in order after he gave up a Super Bowl-record 14 pressures.
Injuries
Maye didn’t miss a start this season. Still, the injury to his throwing shoulder he sustained in the AFC championship game will be something to watch. He acknowledged getting a shot of pain medication in it prior to the Super Bowl that numbed it so he could play.
Key number
13 — The number of improvement in wins for the Patriots (17-4) this season after finishing 4-13 the previous year.
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Seahawks' Super Bowl-winning 'Dark Side' defense: the new 'Legion of Boom'? By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
Undeterred by all the rules favoring the offense and quarterbacks bringing more athleticism than ever to the field, the Seattle Seahawks verified that defense can still dominate the NFL in 2026.
Seattle's Mike Macdonald became the first head coach to win a Super Bowl as his team's primary defensive play caller when the Seahawks topped the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday, a triumph fueled by their “Dark Side” defense — the worthy successor to the “Legion of Boom” that brought home their first Lombardi Trophy 12 years earlier.
It may not be a one-off, either.
Three teams shifted toward defensive-minded leadership this coaching cycle with a trio of defensive coordinators getting head coaching jobs.
The Tennessee Titans hired former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh , who used to coach the New York Jets. The Miami Dolphins hired Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and the Baltimore Ravens turned to Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter .
Macdonald, 38, who served as the Ravens' defensive coordinator for two years before replacing Pete Carroll in Seattle two years ago, is the first head coach with primarily defensive roots to lift the Lombardi Trophy since Bill Belichick following the 2018 season.
Macdonald's defense dominated the Super Bowl from the start and held the Patriots out of the end zone until the fourth quarter. The Seahawks sacked Drake Maye six times and forced him into a pair of costly turnovers they turned into 14 points. They had three takeaways overall.
Seattle's defense made sure it didn't matter that Sam Darnold only threw for one touchdown and couldn't do much in the red zone.
“It’s insane, man," Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV said. "I’ve never been around a bunch of guys where literally nobody thought it was a Super Bowl. It was just our next game, and that’s how we approached it. And defensively, we came out and said it early in the year: To win the Super Bowl, it was going to be on our backs, so like I said, I’ll be damned if we get one game away and this defense doesn’t show up like we’re supposed to.”
In the lead-up to the Super Bowl, NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth had high praise for Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who stewarded Maye into an MVP-worthy season and helped him navigate a 10-7 win at snowy Denver in the AFC championship despite throwing for just 86 yards.
This was McDaniels' 10th Super Bowl as an assistant — and it turned out to be his worst. He never took the pressure off Maye, who had a painkilling injection in his throwing shoulder before the game and was hounded relentlessly throughout.
Maye conquered three top-5 defenses on his way to the Super Bowl in his second season, but he wasn't up to the task against the Seahawks, who sported the NFL's top-ranked scoring defense.
“We got to be better with the football and make better decisions and I got to make better throws when the game goes like that," Maye said. "I got to make some throws to help us move the football.”
And McDaniels needed to adjust way quicker than he did. Through three quarters, the Patriots had nine punts, five three-and-outs and just 78 yards of offense.
McDaniels never protected his young QB by calling for more handoffs or quick screens, even though rookie left tackle Will Campbell — the fourth overall pick out of LSU in last year's NFL draft — allowed a whopping 14 pressures in the Super Bowl.
Given how the Super Bowl played out, there are two other former Broncos head coaches who probably deserve another shot at being a head coach before McDaniels: Vic Fangio and Vance Joseph.
Fangio, Philadelphia's defensive coordinator, helped the Eagles win last year's Super Bowl by throttling Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.
Joseph, Denver's defensive coordinator, has seen his stock rise by leading a unit that's collected an NFL-high 141 sacks over the last two years, including the playoffs. He interviewed with the Raiders, Cardinals, Titans, Falcons, Ravens and Giants this cycle but didn't get that coveted second chance this year.
Other defensive play-callers who might find their phones ringing a year from now, especially if another Super Bowl is dominated by defense like this one was, include Chris Shula of the Rams, Brian Flores of the Vikings and Anthony Campanile of the Jaguars.
Seattle's dominance Sunday raised the question about where the “Dark Side” ranks among all-time great defenses. Right next to the “Legion of Boom,” maybe?
“I know we're the best defense this year,” said Seattle cornerback Devon Witherspoon, “and that's all that matters.”
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Commanders try reversing last season's dismal results with two first-time coordinators By BEN STANDIG Associated Press The Associated Press ASHBURN, Va.
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Going from the highs of the 2024 NFC championship to a 5-12 record last season led Dan Quinn to consider changes. The Washington Commanders coach made several significant ones.
Quinn formally introduced two key additions to his staff on Tuesday: offensive coordinator David Blough and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones . They replaced Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr.
Kingsbury, the former Arizona Cardinals head coach, and Whitt, a longtime Quinn colleague, moved on following the season.
“When there’s time for change, those are difficult conversations, discussions,” Quinn said. “At the end, you keep going back to what’s the best thing for the team.”
Offensively, that will mean using quarterback Jayden Daniels more under center and having a balanced run-pass attack. Washington under Kingsbury was far and away the league leader in shotgun and no-huddle usage.
Quinn elevated Blough, 30, a retired NFL quarterback with only two years of coaching experience. Blough worked with Daniels as the assistant QB coach the past two seasons and will keep elements of Kingsbury’s system that appealed to the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft.
“A new vision on how we want to go about it,” Quinn said.
Quinn emphasized that Daniels “wasn’t part of the staff selection, but he drives a lot of the thinking.” The coach said he kept the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year in the loop throughout the process, including the decision to move on from Kingsbury.
Blough’s five-year professional playing career began in 2019 and included stops in Detroit (twice), Minnesota and Arizona. That meant working with three notable offensive-minded coaches — Ben Johnson, Kevin O’Connell and Kingsbury — who run different schemes.
“You feel like every step along the way you prepare for these opportunities,” Blough said about his fast rise. “Surprise may not be the be exact feeling. It might be grateful.”
Jones spent the previous four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, including the final three as the defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach under Brian Flores, the team’s defensive coordinator with a penchant for blitzing. The Commanders’ defense struggled last season and requires upgrades at all three levels this offseason.
Jones, who was raised as a Washington fan while growing up in the Maryland suburbs, demurred when asked for specifics on his formation approach.
“It’s not how they line up, it’s how they wind up,” Jones said.
Whatever changes Blough and Jones pitched, Quinn bought in.
“I felt their vision right away and the energy they have for it,” Quinn said. “I know we may talk of two first-time coordinators, but I also recognize everyone needs their first stop. I really feel like we’re going to set them up to succeed.”
NOTES: Other coaching staff changes announced include hiring former Falcons QB coach D.J. Williams for the same role in Washington. Williams is the son of Doug Williams, who led Washington to a Super Bowl title in the 1987 season. Wes Welker, longtime NFL receiver and returner, will join the offense in an unspecified role after spending 2025 as a personnel analyst. ... Washington agreed to a 1-year contract extension with longtime punter Tress Way.
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49ers DL Keion White undergoes surgery after being shot in ankle in San Francisco By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Keion White underwent surgery after being shot in the ankle early Monday morning.
The shooting happened hours after the end of the Super Bowl that was played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
“Keion White was a victim of a shooting and sustained a bullet wound to his ankle this morning in San Francisco," the team said in a statement. "He is currently undergoing surgery at a local hospital. We will provide further updates when appropriate.”
San Francisco police said they responded to a shooting a little after 4 a.m. and found a victim from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers gave aid and called paramedics and said the victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been made.
“A preliminary investigation revealed a verbal altercation occurred between two groups inside a business,” police said in a statement. “The victim was injured when shots were fired by an unknown suspect. All information is preliminary at this time, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.”
White joined the 49ers midway through this season after a trade from New England. White's old team, the Patriots, lost the Super Bowl on Sunday night to the Seattle Seahawks. The 27-year-old White just finished his third season in the NFL.
This is the second time in the past 18 months that a 49ers' player has been a victim of a shooting in San Francisco. Receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt on Aug. 31, 2024. A teenager is awaiting trial in juvenile court in that case.
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