In Santa Clara, California, quarterback Drake Maye is looking to revive his career after a disappointing first appearance in the Super Bowl. At just 23 years old, he became the second-youngest quarterback ever to start in the championship game, but his performance was marred by three turnovers and six sacks. The New England Patriots struggled to find the end zone until the fourth quarter, ultimately losing to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 on February 8.
While Maye has a long road ahead with many opportunities to return to the Super Bowl, history suggests that bouncing back from a debut loss is quite challenging. Notably, Dan Marino, who started in a Super Bowl at a younger age than Maye, never returned after his initial defeat against San Francisco in the 1984 season. Out of 36 quarterbacks who lost their first Super Bowl, only seven managed to return as starters, and merely four of them won the title.
The most recent success story is Jalen Hurts, who lost his Super Bowl debut but went on to win the championship and MVP honors in the 2024 season. Before Hurts, John Elway was the last quarterback to achieve redemption after losing his initial Super Bowl, securing victory for Denver in the 1997 season after enduring three previous losses. Similarly, Bob Griese rebounded a year after his loss in Super Bowl VI, leading Miami to a perfect season and a championship. Len Dawson also achieved this feat, losing in Super Bowl I to Green Bay before winning three years later against Minnesota.
The Seahawks showcased a formidable defense reminiscent of their celebrated “Legion of Boom,” effectively shutting down Maye and the Patriots in a manner similar to their historic performance against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in a previous Super Bowl. This year”s Seahawks defense ranks impressively in advanced metrics, such as DVOA, positioning them among the top Super Bowl-winning defenses since 1978, behind only the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 1985 Chicago Bears, and the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.
Throughout the game, the Seahawks defense exhibited dominance, forcing eight punts and a fumble during New England”s first nine drives, marking the fourth-longest scoreless stretch to commence a Super Bowl. They allowed only 78 yards in the first three quarters, the fewest recorded since the Patriots managed just 58 yards against the Bears in Super Bowl XX. Seattle”s ability to enforce turnovers and limit scoring opportunities was a testament to their season-long prowess, culminating in a remarkable postseason run without a single turnover.
On the offensive side, Sam Darnold also made headlines, overcoming a challenging regular season marked by 20 turnovers. Following a clean slate in his final four games, Darnold became the first quarterback to win a Super Bowl after leading the league in turnovers since Eli Manning did so in 2007. His performance reinforced Seattle”s status as the first Super Bowl champion to complete an entire postseason without a turnover.
In terms of individual accolades, Kenneth Walker III made history as the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis in 1998, rushing for 135 yards and catching two passes. Walker”s achievement aligns him with elite company, as he became one of only eight running backs to receive the award, a category historically dominated by quarterbacks.
