Super Bowl 2026: Seattle Seahawks beat New England Patriots, President Trump criticises Bad Bunny

A shot at history, a delicious chance for revenge and a half-time show guaranteed to rankle the president.

Super Bowl 60 had plenty of narratives to go at.

Here’s how a thunderous evening in California panned out.

When these sides last met in the Super Bowl in 2015, Seattle had the chance to win in the final minute but chose to pass instead of run it in from one yard.

Patriots safety Malcolm Butler famously intercepted and the Seahawks have been stewing on a painful defeat for 11 years.

Those memories will make this comprehensive victory all the sweeter.

That Seattle team was characterised by its ‘Legion of Boom’ defence – immensely physical and talented athletes that dominated their opposition all over the field.

The unit that head coach Mike Macdonald and British defensive coordinator Aden Durde have put together, dubbed ‘The Dark Side’, has arguably eclipsed even that legendary group.

Keeping the Patriots scoreless for three quarters looked almost humane compared with how they responded when their opponents showed some signs of life.

Following New England finally getting a touchdown, the Seahawks intercepted on the next play to kill momentum. Then, on the following drive, Devon Witherspoon forced quarterback Drake Maye into a fumble that led to a defensive touchdown.

With the third youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl and the prospect of a potential franchise sale for billions of dollars, the future looks bright for the Seahawks.

While the defence was dominant, and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker was delivering the best rushing numbers in the event for 28 years, quarterback Sam Darnold was quietly putting together his own effective game.

Drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold’s career plummeted, the nadir a game against the Patriots where he admitted to «seeing ghosts» in the face of their pressure.

Discarded by the Jets and the Carolina Panthers, he was back-up in San Francisco before getting a chance at the Minnesota Vikings. He led them to a 14-3 record last season only to be let go again when they faltered in the play-offs.

Picked up in free agency, and supported by a decent offensive line, Darnold has again proved his talent this season and here, he quietly accumulated yards and avoided turnovers – previously the bane of his career.

Forgotten by some, written off by most, Darnold’s rise to Super Bowl victory is perhaps the most satisfying storyline of this NFL season.

For 20 years, the New England Patriots were the dominant force in the NFL, under the tutelage of Bill Belichick and on the arm of the league’s most decorated quarterback Tom Brady.

Six-time champions, they sought to go clear of the Pittsburgh Steelers by making it seven in Santa Clara.

Merely being in this event was a remarkable achievement after back-to-back four-win seasons. Former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel took the reins last summer and has inspired a dramatic turnaround.

Key to that has been the stellar play of sophomore quarterback Maye, who finished a narrow runner-up in the vote for regular season Most Valuable Player to Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams.

Hoping to make history as the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl, Maye was hit six times and instead collected an undesirable record – his 21 sacks in the post-season the worst in NFL history.

After only putting up 78 yards of offence through three quarters, he at least found some juice in the final quarter, throwing touchdowns to Mack Hollins and Rhamondre Stevenson.

But those late scores papered over the cracks as the Patriots were well beaten, and their bid for history put on hold for at least one more year.

Amid protests and scrutiny over the tactics of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), the choices for entertainment at the Super Bowl were not well received in the White House.

When Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny was announced as the half-time act in September, right-wing media circles noted he had criticised the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

The subsequent decision to give vocal Trump critics Green Day a slot in the pre-game entertainment went down equally well.

Last week, when Bad Bunny picked up his Grammy for Album of the Year, he began his acceptance speech with the words: «ICE out.»

It prompted one conservative group to organise an alternative half-time show, fronted by Trump ally Kid Rock and the president to label the selection «absolutely ridiculous».

On the way in, anti-ICE protestors offered towels bearing political messaging to Super Bowl supporters.

Bad Bunny’s unapologetically Latino set, performed across a temporary jungle in the middle of Levi’s Stadium, did not douse Republican ire but provided plenty of entertainment for the 70,000 fans.

The most-streamed artist of 2025 was all bouncing energy, flanked by a myriad of dancers and through a whirlwind of movement and rapid lyrics, he became the first performer to conduct the half-time show fully in Spanish.

There was time to squeeze in some special guests, including compatriot Ricky Martin and pop royalty Lady Gaga, who performed an extract from her song ‘Die With A Smile’. In English.

Finally, as fireworks signalled the end of a high-octane set, Bad Bunny brandished the football he had been carrying to show the words ‘Together, we are America’, before disappearing from the field.

President Trump, who became the first incumbent to attend the Super Bowl last year in New Orleans, was not there in person but labelled the show «an affront to America» and «a slap in the face to our country».

The Super Bowl is a magnet for celebrity guests and few are bigger than rock icon Jon Bon Jovi, who introduced the New England Patriots to the crowd before the game.

On the other side, Hollywood actor Chris Pratt did likewise for his beloved Seahawks, while actors Macauley Culkin and Jessica Alba were among those in attendance.

They were joined in the stands by rappers Jay-Z and Travis Scott, as well as Cardi B, in town to support boyfriend and Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs – and do some dancing alongside Bad Bunny.

As for sports stars, tennis legend Roger Federer and seven-time world Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton also watched on from the galleries.

Finally, decorated quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Joe Montana joined Brady for the ceremonial coin toss.