Dabo Swinney went scorched earth late last week, decrying the ills of college football and the absurdity of those in charge ignoring the obvious. 

He laid out the most damning of all tampering allegations against Ole Miss. He called out a head coach and player by name. 

“This is about protecting our program,” Swinney said Jan. 23. “This is about college football.”

Meanwhile, two days before the national championship game, Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich stumped for no salary cap in college football. A free, open market. 

On the same day — an incredible coincidence, I know — Duke quarterback Darian Mensah backed out of the second year of a two-year deal with the Blue Devils, and entered the transfer portal.

Guess which program, after having spent more money on one-year quarterback deals than any other in the free player movement era, desperately needs a quarterback for 2026?

I have no idea if Miami tampered with Mensah, and frankly, I don’t care. Because if the NCAA isn’t going to police it, they’re allowing it. 

We’ve officially entered the if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’ era of college football. 

And that brings us all the way back to Clemson, which hasn’t been the same program since the NCAA flew open the doors to NIL and free player movement in 2021 and left every man for himself.

Clemson has lost 20 games in the five NIL seasons to date — after losing 18 games in the 10 years prior while battling in the high rent district with Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia. A 2025 season of national title expectations ended with a loss to an untethered Penn State team in a meaningless bowl game. 

The half-decade of falling back to the pack has officially hit rock bottom. And now — an incredible coincidence, I know — here come the allegations of tampering against Ole Miss coach Pete Golding. 

Buy IU championship books, prints

Swinney laid out the allegations like it was next-level stuff, only it’s not. If you want to know why Clemson hasn’t looked like Clemson since getting thumped by Ohio State in the 2020 College Football Playoff semifinals, the answer is simple. 

Clemson isn’t competing at the same, whatever-it-takes level when it comes to player procurement.

Swinney was floored that Golding allegedly kept recruiting linebacker Luke Ferrelli long after Ferrelli left California at the end of the 2025 season and committed to Clemson. Couldn’t believe that Golding, allegedly, was texting Ferrelli in class and trying to get him to flip. 

Wouldn’t you know it, in this Wild, Wild West world of free player movement and cash is king, Ferrelli jumped at the better offer and switched his commitment to Ole Miss. For those scoring at home, it went like this: 

• January 7: Ferrelli commits to Clemson. 
• January 16: Ferrelli re-enters the transfer portal.
• January 22: Ferrelli commits to Ole Miss. 

As much as I’d love to side with Swinney on this, we now have a clear, unobstructed view into Clemson’s regression from the national elite. Everyone knows the rules to this absurd money grab of free player movement, and Clemson refuses to play by them.

And by rules, I mean no rules at all. 

Swinney says Golding spoke to Ferrelli, and that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and former quarterback Jaxson Dart called Ferrelli. Even alleged Golding sent Ferrelli a photo of a check for $1 million.

Ole Miss pushed the envelope and Clemson didn’t push back — until after the fact. Until after Ferrelli decided to go with the best offer, and leave Clemson with a significant hole in its defense.

Look, there’s nothing pretty or practical about this new era of the game. It’s unseemly and unsettling and has run off far lesser coaches than Swinney. Good men who refuse to get dirty to get better. 

“We have a broken system,” Swinney said. “If there are no consequences for tampering, then we have no rules and we have no governance.”

There hasn’t been rules and governance for five years now, no matter what the NCAA rulebook says. While there’s a bylaw against tampering, if you’re not pushing the envelope at every possible angle while recruiting, you’re left behind. 

There’s a reason Ole Miss, which has never even played in the SEC championship game, was playing in the CFP semifinals while big, bad Clemson was still thawing out from a brutal bowl game in the Bronx. 

Ole Miss is 52-15 in the NIL era, including its first CFP season of 2025. Clemson is 47-20, despite playing in a significantly easier conference.

Ole Miss was 61-61 in the 10 years prior to the advent of NIL and free player movement, and Clemson was 121-18 — with two national titles and six CFP appearances.

One team presses the new recruiting envelope as well as any program in college football. The other sits around and complains about the transfer portal, and how college football isn’t what it once was. 

In the irony of ironies, by exposing Ole Miss for allegedly tampering with a player, Clemson pulled back the curtain on its fall from the national elite. 

If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’. 

The NBA announced its pool of participants for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars game on Peacock on Monday, Jan. 26. Twenty-one players – 10 rookies and 11 sophomores – along with seven G Leaguers were chosen to represent the future of the NBA to tip-off All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles on Feb. 13.

The rookies are headlined by 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who has looked every bit the franchise centerpiece the Dallas Mavericks were in desperate need of after shipping out Luka Doncic a year ago. Memphis Grizzlies emerging wing Cedric Coward is also in the pool, along with the New Orleans’ Pelicans’ duo of breakout stars Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.

Stephon Castle has established himself as a solid running mate for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama; he’s among the sophomores selected. So is Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, who has stepped up from his early season struggles in the absence of Fred VanVleet.

The players will be drafted into three teams on Tuesday, Jan. 27 with a fourth comprised entirely of G League players. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Austin Rivers will serve as the coaches for each team.

Here is the full list of players they will be picking from:

2026 NBA Rising Stars roster

Here is every player named to the Rising Stars game:

Rookies

• Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
• Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets
• V.J. Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
• Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans
• Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
• Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
• Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards
• Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
• Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors
• Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans

Sophomores

• Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
• Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
• Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
• Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards
• Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
• Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
• Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies
• Jalon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat
• Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

G League

• Sean East, Salt Lake City Stars
• Ron Harper Jr., Maine Celtics
• David Jones Garcia, Austin Spurs
• Yanic Konan Niederhauser, San Diego Clippers
• Alijah Martin, Raptors 905
• Tristen Newton, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
• Yang Hansen, Rip City Remix

Rising Stars format

Four teams of seven players each will face off in a mini tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on Friday, Feb. 13 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

The wrongful death suit filed by the parents of Katie Meyer against Stanford University has been resolved, the school announced Monday, Jan. 26, in a joint statement from the school and Katie’s family.

Meyer, who led the Stanford women’s soccer team to a national championship in 2019, died by suicide on March 1, 2022.

Meyer, 22 at the time of her death, was found in her dorm at Stanford.

Meyer’s parents sued Stanford in November 2022. The lawsuit, filed with the Santa Clara County Superior Court of California, was scheduled to go to trial later this year.

Meyer’s parents said the school was responsible for their daughter’s death from a disciplinary matter stemming from Katie Meyer either intentionally or accidentally spilling coffee on one of Stanford’s football players.

“Stanford and the family of Katie Meyer are pleased to have reached a resolution in the lawsuit that was filed against the university following Katie’s tragic death in 2022,’’ the university said in a statement issued Monday.

“To honor Katie, Stanford will collaborate with Katie’s family to launch an initiative focused on the mental health and well-being of student-athletes at the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance. Stanford Athletics will establish the Katie Meyer Leadership Award to be given to an exceptional Stanford student-athlete each year. More information on both the initiative at Wu Tsai and the Leadership Award will be provided later this year.’’

Stanford also said it would adopt the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to provide support to students in its Office of Community disciplinary process. Also, the jersey number worn by Katie while she played soccer at Stanford, #19, will be retired in honor of the impact Katie had on Stanford women’s soccer, according to the statement.

“While Katie’s passing remains devastating and tragic, the memory of her accomplishments and the uplifting influence she had on those who knew her lives on,’ the university said. “Stanford and the Meyer family believe that working together on these initiatives will both honor Katie’s indelible legacy and help current and future students in meaningful ways.’

The coffee incident

At the time Meyer died by suicide, she was facing disciplinary action for allegedly spilling coffee on a Stanford football player in August 2021 while she was riding her bike, according to the complaint filed by Meyer’s parents in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

The football player allegedly sexually assaulted a female soccer player, then a minor, on the Stanford women’s soccer team on which Meyer served as a captain, according to the complaint.

The school filed court documents stating the unnamed football player suffered burns on his back that required medical attention and had kissed one of Meyer’s teammates without consent.

Meyer’s father, Steve, previously told USA TODAY Sports that the disciplinary issue arose from Katie Meyer defending a teammate.

Katie Meyer’s soccer heroics

Meyer, a goaltender, was a captain of the Stanford soccer team her senior year. But her most dramatic performance came during her sophomore season.

During the 2019 NCAA women’s soccer championship between Stanford and North Carolina, the game ended 0-0 after two 10-minute overtime periods before going to penalty kicks.

Stanford won 5-4 on penalty kicks after Meyer saved two shots.

In the semifinal game against UCLA, Meyer saved the penalty kick that helped propel Stanford to a 4-1 victory.

Matter of dispute

Meyer’s parents argued that Stanford mishandled the disciplinary process and failed to provide Katie with adequate support, in part because they were not informed of the matter. The Meyers said their daughter suffered acute stress because the matter meant her degree would be put on hold until the previous disciplinary matter was resolved, which could have prevented her from graduating.

The proceedings grew contentious when the school said Meyer’s parents allowed key information to be destroyed. The school argued it needed the information to demonstrate Meyer’s state of mind at the time of her death, that Stanford was not to blame. The Meyers’ attorneys strongly denied that the parents destroyed any evidence.

Katie Meyer’s Law

A California bill spurred by the death of Meyer became state law in September 2024.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 1575, which requires public colleges and universities to allow students to have an adviser when facing an alleged violation of a student code of conduct.

In a joint statement Monday, Stanford said it “will adopt the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to provide support to students in its OCS disciplinary process.’’

In order to receive state funds for student financial assistance, the schools must ‘adopt a policy permitting a student to be assisted by an adviser if the student receives a notification of an alleged violation of … a student code of conduct.’

The bill was an outgrowth of Katie’s Save, a non-profit established by the Meyers, who traveled across the country talking about the initiative they hope will become law in all 50 states.

This story has been updated with new information.

We have movement, people. While these power rankings have been dominated by Michigan and Michigan State all season, another Big Ten school – and one player in particular – made a big statement on the weekend. Penn State swept Wisconsin, beating a very good opponent on the road twice. And for a draft prospect writer such as myself, the fact left winger Gavin McKenna netted four goals in the series (including a hat trick in the first game) was also crucial information.

McKenna, of course, came into the year as the No. 1 prospect for the 2026 NHL draft. But because of that, he’s also the one whose game is picked on the most by pundits, fans and other observers. Great performances by Sweden’s Ivar Stenberg at the world juniors also enter into the conversation, though McKenna was very good for Canada, too.

Has McKenna hit another gear now? It’s all very interesting information to take in down the stretch.

1. Michigan State Spartans (19-5-0)

With a sweep over Minnesota, the Spartans continue their march in the Big Ten. Ryker Lee (NSH) has looked particularly dangerous of late, while Charlie Stramel (MIN) has been the team’s top scorer for much of the campaign. Trey Augustine (DET) has a .938 save percentage in net.

2. Michigan Wolverines (20-4-0)

The Maize and Blue were idle this weekend, but we can’t ding them too much for that. Michigan is still a powerhouse and a favorite to win it all. They’ve got Ohio State next, a team they pounded in November. Nick Moldenhauer (TOR) has provided nice secondary scoring and has five points in his past four games.

3. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (20-6-0)

Another team to keep an eye on as we look ahead to the Frozen Four in Las Vegas, North Dakota has been on an absolute heater of late. They’ve scored five goals or more in four of the past five games, including in the weekend sweep of Arizona State. Defenseman Keaton Verhoeff (2026 draft) is up to an eye-opening 17 points in 22 games.

4. Penn State Nittany Lions (18-6-0)

Speaking of the draft, McKenna is now tied for the team lead with 29 points and the Nittany Lions have won seven in a row. Sweeping the Badgers was impressive and everyone is chipping in. Goalie Kevin Reidler (OTT) has won five straight decisions, while Aiden Fink (NSH) has 20 points in 17 games.

5. Western Michigan Broncos (18-6-0)

A big sweep over Minnesota-Duluth has Western Michigan flying high and the Broncos have now won nine in a row. Interestingly enough, Zaccharya Wisdom (SEA) is on an eight-game point streak himself. Hampton Slukynsky (LA) has played every game in net for the squad this season.

6. Providence College Friars (15-7-2)

With sweeps over Boston University and Boston College, the Friars made out like bandits in Massachusetts the past two weekends. The Friars have a balanced offensive attack with Roger McQueen (ANA), Logan Sawyer (MTL) and John Mustard (CHI) up top – and no one on the team averaging a point per game.

7. Quinnipiac Bobcats (19-5-2)

The Bobcats’ stellar run came to an end at the hands of UConn on the weekend, but it is but one blemish for a team really hitting on all cylinders of late. Ethan Wyttenbach (CGY) continues his grand freshman campaign with a team-high 36 points in 26 games, while Chris Pelosi (BOS) is now second with 26 points himself.

8. Cornell Big Red (14-5-0)

Cornell’s only loss this month came at the hands of Quinnipiac and the Big Red is coming off a pair of nice victories over Dartmouth and Harvard. Jonathan Castagna (UTA) is now leading the team in scoring with 20 points in 19 games, while Alexis Cournoyer (MTL) has been superb in net with a .925 save percentage.

9. Connecticut Huskies (15-7-3)

UConn has been interesting all year, but beating Quinnipiac on the weekend really says something. Jake Richard (BUF) and Joey Muldowney (SJ) aren’t putting up the gaudy numbers they did last year, but they are still two of the Huskies’ top scorers.

10. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (17-9-0)

They’ve lost three of four, but the Dawgs have a couple of critical series coming up that could define their second half. Denver and North Dakota are their next two opponents and getting at least a split would prove Duluth’s mettle. Winning at least three of those games would be a statement.

AI-assisted summary
• The New England Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos 10-7 to win the AFC championship.
• Players and executives credit head coach Mike Vrabel for the team’s turnaround from a 4-13 season.
• Team members emphasized the strong culture and brotherhood built through free agency and the draft.

DENVER – As Will Campbell answered questions amid a victorious celebration in the visitor’s locker room, where the New England Patriots toasted their 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game with cans of Miller Lite, Garrett Bradbury had to interject.

“He doesn’t even know what (expletive) means,” Bradbury shouted. 

How could a rookie left tackle put this into perspective? Bradbury, a seven-year veteran who was part of a high-impact free-agent class signed last offseason, could hardly describe the ‘absolute dogfight” that led to the Patriots becoming kings of the AFC – for a league-leading 12th time.  

“You can’t put into words what this means,” Bradbury said. “It doesn’t feel real. It’s like a simulation, like, ‘What’s going on?’

“The vibes in this locker room, the celebration with this team, it means everything.” 

The Patriots have heard from every corner of the football ecosystem how undeserving the pennant is. The easy regular-season schedule, the turnover luck, the fact that the Denver Broncos had to start Jarrett Stidham at quarterback in place of the injured Bo Nix. The Pats will be underdogs in Super Bowl 60 regardless of opponent.  

The 53 guys in the locker, the coaching staff, the front office – to put it mildly – do not care. How else do you go from 4-13 to 14-3, AFC East champions and now bound for the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2018 season? 

“You have to believe things, sometimes,” head coach Mike Vrabel said, “before you can see them.” 

Welcome to the Church of Vrabes, Pats Nation. 

“You get everybody to believe in something and buy in, and that doesn’t come without adversity,” said Vrabel, who repeated his popular refrain that his coaching calling is rooted in supporting the players. 

As a 14-year NFL linebacker, he’s been in their position. As someone who won three Super Bowls as part of the first era of the New England Patriots’ dynasty of the early 2000s, he’s been to the game’s mountaintop on multiple occasions and wants others to feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with that. He wants it for their families who make sacrifices. For the players themselves. For the fans. 

“They’re fun to coach. They’re entertaining,” Vrabel said of his team. “They’ve been resilient. They’ve been very coachable. There’s a lot of connectivity in them. I appreciate what they do.” 

Having a second-year quarterback who is an MVP candidate in Drake Maye also helps when it comes to establishing winning ways. Now Maye and Vrabel did something not even Tom Brady and Bill Belichick could manage during their dynastic domination – win a playoff game at Mile High.

‘I respect and appreciate what the Patriots dynasty did, and unfortunately, they didn’t come out with some wins here, but we changed that narrative and look forward to bringing our best football to Santa Clara,’ Maye said. ‘That’ll be pretty special.”

Patriots turnaround engineered in offseason roster overhaul

Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said that the offseason priority, working with Vrabel, was finding players who “would fit our culture, that happened to be available, that were good players,” Wolf told USA TODAY Sports. “We were able to hit on some of those guys.” 

The key was that those signings, in most cases, outplayed the league-wide expectation of them. 

“Which is, really, a testament to their work ethic,” Wolf said. “It’s been fun to watch. It’s really cool to work with Mike and understand what he’s looking for in players. 

“It’s one of the coolest things about Mike – it’s all genuine. It’s all ‘This is what the expectation is.’ And if you’re not going to be up to it, you’re probably not going to be here too long. But it’s really cool to see guys come in here and trust the guy next to him and work for each other. It’s not a selfish group at all.” 

For defensive lineman Milton Williams, one of those coveted free agents, the postseason was a chance to stand out in the locker room. As of the divisional round, he was the only player who was still going at that point a year prior (as a member of the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles).

“Crazy. It’s crazy. I didn’t expect it this fast,” said Williams, who started believing this team could be special following a Week 5 win on the road against the Buffalo Bills on “Sunday Night Football.” “But we got a bunch of dogs that’s hungry. A lot of guys that have been counted out … nobody really believing in us all year, picking everybody else all year, all this noise. None of that matters when you go out on that field and do what you’re supposed to do.” 

Right tackle Morgan Moses, who was emotional coming off the field, called his sons upon entering the locker room. They were crying. He started crying more. He thought about how the Patriots went 9-0 on the road. In Moses’ view, it was the road less-traveled. 

“It took me 12 years to get here,” he said. “But I didn’t get here by myself.” 

That’s what a football team is, Moses said. And when it all works out, this is the outcome. 

“Just the brotherhood that we built,” Moses said. “All the guys that we bought in in free agency, hats off to our front office, the guys we drafted.” 

One example of the brotherhood is the bond Moses formed with Campbell, whose locker is adjacent to Moses’ at the team facility. 

“Will came to me and was like ‘Yo, I appreciate everything that you do. A lot of guys your age wouldn’t play through some of the things that you play through,’” Moses said. 

To hear that from the rookie he took under his wing from day one meant a lot. 

“I feel like I’ve learned more from him than he’s learned from me,” Moses said. “I feel like that’s the nature of the game.” 

‘We’ve been through so much.’ Pats point to Vrabel as team’s consistent

Campbell remembered telling Wolf and Vrabel during the pre-draft process that he wanted to be part of the organization “for reasons like this.” The years of losing at the end of Belichick’s tenure and the one season of 4-13 Jerod Mayo-led futility didn’t scare him. 

“Any time you walk through a place of work that’s the only goal in mind,” Campbell said. “We don’t show up to lose.  

“I’m just super-grateful to be here.”

Another rookie, running back TreVeyon Henderson, acknowledged the “rough seasons” before 2025. 

“Just being able to have Coach Vrabes come in and help turn this organization to be where we are now, it’s amazing,” he said. “But it took a lot of hard work. Yeah, it took a lot, man. We’ve been through so much this year.” 

The one constant in each player’s postgame message revolved around one person – Vrabel. After the Tennessee Titans made the mistake of firing him following the 2023 season, Vrabel went from being shown the door to opening new ones for a new group of players. 

“He’s meant everything,” tight end Hunter Henry said. “Just his mentality, his balance of being a player but also coaching in this league. Demanding a lot but also understanding us in a way has been huge.” 

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who had five receptions for 17 yards, said he realized leadership in the NFL flows from the top down. Holding everyone accountable becomes a self-policing standard in the locker room among the players themselves. 

“The camaraderie and the team chemistry that he’s built from the head coaching position,” Diggs said, “I hope he wins Coach of the Year.”

Bradbury said the term player-friendly is thrown around a lot but it often takes form in different ways – few with as much impact as Vrabel’s had in roughly one year. 

“He’s hard on us when he needs to be but he’s also fun a lot of time,” Bradbury said. “I think this whole locker room will ride with that guy. 

“He’s absolutely unbelievable. To share the vision that he wanted in April, and to see it come to fruition – and you’re never arrived, you’re constantly trying to show who you are and put it on film.” 

Bradbury called the 2025 season the most rewarding year of his football career. 

A journey that includes a flight back to New England, eventually, as a massive snowstorm blanketed the northeast United States and delayed the Pats’ homecoming. As of Vrabel’s postgame meeting with the team, the buses for the airport were leaving the hotel at 8 a.m.

To that end, he instituted no curfew for his players Sunday night in Denver. If they missed the bus the next morning, however, they would not play in the Super Bowl. Nobody in their right mind would want to miss out on the ride, figuratively or literally, at this point.

• New England Patriots will appear in a record 12th Super Bowl and can win a record seventh Lombardi Trophy.
• The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks have met in a Super Bowl before, when the Patriots won Super Bowl 49, one of the most memorable Super Sundays ever.
• Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots head coach and former player, can become the first to win a Super Bowl as both a player and coach for the same team.

SEATTLE — After five months and 284 games, the matchup for Super Bowl 60, aka Super Bowl LX, is set − the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks set to face off at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8.

As is typically the case, this Super Sunday stage will be packed with storylines, plots, subplots and grist for the football mill as these teams − neither of them playoff qualifiers a year ago − vie for the NFL’s grandest prize.

Here’s what the football world will be talking about during the buildup to kickoff over the next two weeks:

Super Bowl history for the Patriots?

No NFL entity has won seven Lombardi Trophies … except for former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who won six with New England before capturing a seventh with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the Pats, who will be appearing on Super Sunday for the 12th time – most ever by a franchise – now have a seventh championship in their crosshairs and could break their deadlock with the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowls won by a single organization.

TB12/BB-less Super Bowl history for Patriots?

New England more or less ruled the NFL roost for the first two decades of the 21st century, their unparalleled dynasty unfolding in multiple acts with Brady, head coach Bill Belichick and quite a cast of supporting actors – the Oscars go to Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Adam Vinatieri – along the way. But the Pats have never had a sterling silver season sans Brady or Belichick. The 1985 AFC champs were swallowed whole by the ’85 Bears in Super Bowl 20, and the ’96 squad, led by coach Bill Parcells and QB Drew Bledsoe, unable to overcome the Brett Favre Packers in Super Bowl 31. Six years on from Brady and in their second season post-Belichick, coach Mike Vrabel and quarterback Drake Maye – and a cadre of others who joined up during last offseason’s makeover, can draw a clear line of demarcation between these new edition Patriots and the dynastic ones New England’s, ahem, long-suffering fans of yesteryear used to root for.

History for a distinguished quarterback draft class

The 2018 and 2024 drafts – at least we think so on the latter – have produced bumper crops of signature QBs in recent years. Seahawks QB Sam Darnold was the third overall pick in 2018 (by the New York Jets), yet hasn’t compiled the individual accolades of draftmates Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson or Baker Mayfield. Yet. But the late-blooming Darnold could become the first QB of his class to lift the Lombardi. The same could be true for the Patriots’ Drake Maye, one of six quarterbacks selected in Round 1 two years ago. A finalist for league MVP a year after the Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels had an extraordinary Rookie of the Year campaign – which fell one win shy of a Super Bowl appearance – Maye could similarly set the bar for the 2024 passers.

Super Bowl 49 vibes

Super Bowl 60 will occur 11 years after, arguably, the most memorable Super Sunday ever – the Pats’ 28-24 defeat of the Seahawks in Super Bowl 49, ending their 10-year title mini-drought, thanks to Seattle QB Russell Wilson’s decisive and controversial goal-line interception in the final seconds. That play breathed fresh life into the Patriots’ dynasty and ended any chance that the “Legion of Boom” era Seahawks had of becoming one, that team slowly fraying in the years after – some of their players still incredulous that Wilson didn’t hand off to running back Marshawn Lynch for what could have been the short-yardage TD that would have potentially rewritten league history. This game will look different, the Patriots likely to wear blue in this game (they wore white in Super Bowl 49), but it will also be staged in an NFC West stadium (indoors at the Cardinals’ in 2015, outside at the 49ers’ this year), but there’s little doubt not-so-ancient history will be dredged up by the rematch.

Super Bowl history for Mike Vrabel?

New England’s first-year head coach, who won three Super Bowl rings as a linebacker with the franchise in the first half of the Brady-Belichick dynasty, could make a unique mark in league history. With one more victory, Vrabel would become the first person in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as both a player and coach for the same team. It would also be the Patriots’ 18th win of the season (regular season and postseason combined), which would match the club record of the 2007 team that went 16-0 in the regular season and finished 18-1 after losing Super Bowl 42, a game Vrabel also played in.

Happy 50th, Seahawks

The year-long celebration of America’s semiquincentennial birthday – a fancy way of saying 250^th – pales in comparison to Seattle completing its 50^th NFL season, perhaps in grand style. The Seahawks can match the Buccaneers, their 1976 expansion brethren, with a second Super Bowl trophy 12 years after winning their first.

Sean McVay siren song?

We’re not breaking news here, but the potential departure of the Los Angeles Rams head coach for a TV job – speculation about his future has run rampant before and doubtless will again, especially if QB Matthew Stafford retires or the coaching staff gets raided – could surface again given what a brilliant guy he is, plus the fact he has little left to prove under the headset after leading the Rams to the Super Bowl twice and winning it once in nine seasons. McVay, who turned 40 on Saturday, also has two young children, including a newborn who arrived in December. Whether he’s ready to take a break from the head coaching grind remains TBD … but also almost certain to spark renewed questions about his future. It’s also worth noting that the 2026 Rams, assuming Stafford continues to play, would seem to have a brighter outlook than the squads that almost immediately had to reboot and reload – DT Aaron Donald, CB Jalen Ramsey and WR Cooper Kupp were linchpins of the 2021 Rams – following the defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56.

The stage is set for Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara. The NFL playoff bracket has narrowed the field from 14 teams competing to two.

The New England Patriots will meet the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl in a battle to hoist the Lombardi trophy.

Will the Seahawks soar to new heights in Santa Clara in two weeks or will the Patriots make history and win an NFL-best seventh Super Bowl? New England and Seattle are bound to deliver a classic; some NFL fans will scramble to figure out who comes out on top.

Super Bowl picks: Patriots vs. Seahawks predictions

Ayrton Ostly, NFL writer: Seahawks 28, Patriots 17

Seattle proved its mettle on the big stage against a tough opponent in Los Angeles on an off day for its defense (479 total yards allowed). New England is well-coached with a top quarterback, but it just doesn’t have the firepower on either side of the ball to hold up against what the Seahawks have assembled. Sam Darnold came out on top against Chris Shula. Time for him to prove doubters wrong again on the biggest stage.

Jacob Camenker, NFL writer: Seahawks 24, Patriots 17

Mike Vrabel deserves a lot of credit for guiding the Patriots to the Super Bowl, but it will be incredibly hard for them to keep their run going against the Seahawks’ stalwart defense.

Seattle ranked No. 2 in defensive EPA per play during the 2025 NFL season, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, second to only the Houston Texans. Mike Macdonald’s defense is a strong, attacking unit that marries excellent coverage to a fearsome, multi-faceted pass rush.

The latter unit figures to give the Patriots the most trouble, as their offensive line has struggled to hold up in front of Drake Maye. The second-year quarterback has been sacked five times in each of the team’s three playoff games thus far, which has hampered his ability to consistently make downfield passing plays.

The Patriots have been able to win games despite this, leaning on their elite defense to limit opponents to a playoff-best 8.7 points per game. Achieving similar results against the Seahawks could allow Vrabel’s squad to keep the game close and potentially win a defensive battle – just like the team did in its 13-3 Super Bowl 53 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

However, if Sam Darnold, Kenneth Walker and Jaxon Smith-Njigba can continue to perform well after averaging 36 points per game over their first two playoff games, it may be hard for Maye and Co. to keep pace against an elite defense.

Jack McKessy, NFL writer: Seahawks 31, Patriots 20

In two postseason appearances so far this season, the Seattle Seahawks have looked absolutely dominant in every phase of the game. Quarterback Sam Darnold will be coming off one of the best games of his career in the biggest game of his career to lead the offense once again after back-to-back 30+ point outings to begin the playoffs. Seattle’s defense also just held the Rams, one of the NFL’s best offenses, to fewer than 30 points and a 2-for-10 conversion rate on third- and fourth-down attempts.

The Patriots and head coach Mike Vrabel deserve their flowers for the incredible turnaround they pulled off this year, going 14-3 and winning an AFC title coming off back-to-back four-win seasons. But to get to this point, New England’s defense benefited from performances among the career worsts from opposing quarterbacks Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud, then an injury to Broncos starter Bo Nix in the divisional round. Meanwhile, the lights have appeared bright for quarterback Drake Maye, who has had a shaky postseason after an MVP-caliber regular season.

Seattle looks poised to capitalize on the Patriots’ flaws, while New England can’t just rely on Darnold turning back into a pumpkin after his outstanding NFC championship game outing.

Nick Brinkerhoff, NFL writer: Seahawks 34, Patriots 17

It might be officially known as the NFC championship game, but it was actually Super Bowl 60 when the Seahawks defeated the Rams. Seattle’s matchup against New England will now be a two-week-long coronation for the new champions of the league, who shouldn’t have to break a sweat to knock off the AFC champion Patriots, who barely beat the Chargers, Texans and Broncos en route to Santa Clara.

Sam Darnold has looked unstoppable running the offense in the postseason and the Seahawks’ defense can make even the most electric offenses look mediocre. Strong in all three phases, they are simply better than a Patriots team that is ahead of schedule – as evidenced further by Drake Maye’s struggles thus far. Seattle gets its revenge for Super Bowl 49, winning the franchise’s second Lombardi in convincing fashion. 

Tom Viera, NFL writer/editor: Seahawks 27, Patriots 20

What an incredible feat by Drake Maye and the upstart Patriots to reach the Super Bowl. They deserve their flowers, but the Patriots’ offense struggled to score touchdowns this season, finishing 22nd in red zone efficiency. There’s been plenty of chatter about New England’s schedule and that will come to bear in the Big Game.

The Super Bowl will be just the second game of the season for the Patriots west of the Mississippi River. Yup, that’s how favorable it’s been.

Seattle’s defense has been the best unit all season, ranking first in defensive DVOA according to FTN. The Patriots’ offensive line has struggled, allowing 15 sacks across their three playoff games. The Seahawks finished the regular season with the sixth-fewest yards allowed per game (285.6) and were the best scoring defense (17.1 PPG allowed).

The Patriots might be able to slow down Kenneth Walker and the run game with a healthy Milton Williams, as their defense ranks fourth in EPA per rush when he plays. However, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is having an outstanding season and proved it again in the NFC title game. He’s a game-changer, and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak uses him in various ways that will make it tough for the Patriots’ top cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, to shadow him.

Unfortunately, for Maye and any other quarterback who plays for New England in the future, they will be in the shadow of Tom Brady. The next dynasty in Foxborough might be on the horizon, but it’s not their turn to lift the Lombardi Trophy. Seattle will control this game – beginning to end – and avenge their Super Bowl defeat just over a decade later.

How to watch Super Bowl 2026

NBC owns the rights to broadcast Super Bowl 60 this year. The game will be available to stream on either Fubo (which offers a free trial) and Peacock.

• Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
• Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: NBC
• Streaming: Fubo, Peacock
• Location: Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California

DENVER – Turns out that neither the home team nor Mother Nature were the match for the New England Patriots with a trip to Super Bowl 60 at stake.

“I’ll be damned if we let a little snow stop us from going to the Super Bowl,” Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte told USA TODAY Sports after the 10-7 defeat of the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game on Jan. 25.

“We get a lot of money to play in the weather, no matter the circumstances. Whether it’s rain, snow, sleet, a blizzard, it doesn’t matter.”

The weather mess unfolded as the second half began at Empower Field, with a steady snow, swirling wind, limited visibility and a slippery turf quickly becoming game-changing factors. With the turf covered in snow, yard-markers were blurred.

And footing was even worse. The Patriots started one drive in the fourth quarter with running back Rhamondre Stevenson slipping to fall face-first at the snap before an apparent handoff. Then quarterback Drake Maye slipped to the turf.

The three-yard loss was much better than the would-be disaster of a fumble.

The elements certainly factored heavily in the two missed field goals apiece by kickers Andy Borregales (Patriots) and Wil Lutz (Broncos), as they combined for the dubious distinction of engaging in the first conference title game with three missed field goals since 1991. Add a 26-yard shanked punt from New England’s Bryce Baringer and the kicking game was essentially, off the charts, as they say.

Yet it was even worse for the passing games – especially Denver’s. Jarrett Stidham, the backup replacing injured Broncos starter Bo Nix, had 10 yards net passing in the second half. And he threw a fateful interception to Christian Gonzalez on Denver’s final possession that virtually sealed the outcome.

“The conditions weren’t great. But they had to play in them, too,” Broncos tight end Adam Trautman told USA TODAY Sports. “If you had said we’d have homefield advantage in the AFC championship game, we’d take a snow game, too.

“They were just better than us today … (And) you feel the margin of error is super-small in this type of game.”

Patriots’ ground game a difference when the snow fell

As the flow of the game changed, though, the Patriots built an advantage on a consistent rushing attack. New England rushed 38 times for 141 yards, led by Stevenson’s 71 yards on 25 carries.

Elements or not, the Patriots controlled enough of the tempo when it became apparent that just getting first downs – let alone field goals and touchdowns – represented a monumental challenge for Denver’s offense in the second half.

“It was definitely a little slick,” Maye said of the footing.

Still, the Patriots quarterback escaped from the pocket for a 28-yard run that was the game’s longest.

And, he added, “It was good enough on the last run to get around the edge.”

Maye iced the game with a seven-yard scamper around left end on a third-and-five. He finished with 10 scrambles for 65 yards and regardless of the elements was able to sting Denver’s defense with his legs, just as Buffalo’s Josh Allen did a week earlier.

It’s just that the degree of difficulty was a lot tougher on Sunday.

Then again, that depends on one’s perspective. After all, the Patriots are headquartered in Foxborough, where “Patriot Weather” is a real thing.

“This weather don’t mess with us,” Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore told USA TODAY Sports. “We play in the snow, play in the rain. It don’t matter. We’ve played in weather much worse than this. I feel like that’s to our advantage.”

It sure turned out that way on Sunday.

One thing for certain: Snow will not be a factor in the next game, with Super Bowl 60 set to be staged in Santa Clara, California.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell