San Francisco Frontiers - Patriots seek Super Bowl history in Seahawks showdown

A franchise once so dominant they were dubbed the "Evil Empire," New England have floundered since the departure in 2020 of Tom Brady, who is widely considered the NFL's greatest ever player.

But they defied all expectations with a spectacular season. Drake Maye led the resurgent Patriots to a league-best 17 wins, including playoffs, and at 23 would be the youngest quarterback to win the coveted Lombardi Trophy.

Capping a season remarkable for upsets and under-performing giants, they face a Seahawks side led by journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold, who passed through four NFL clubs before a revitalized debut year in Seattle.

The Seahawks proved themselves by topping the ultra-tough NFC West, and possess the NFL's tightest defense. They are the marginal bookmakers' favorites for Sunday's showdown at the 75,000-capacity Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Away from the sporting contest, all eyes will be on a historic half-time performance from Bad Bunny, the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican superstar. He is expected to deliver the first-ever Super Bowl set entirely in Spanish.

One of the world's biggest artists, Bad Bunny has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. The US president has claimed the performance will "sow hatred" and is notably skipping this year's game, which kicks off at 3.30pm local time (2330 GMT).

- 'Historic' -

The game itself, meanwhile, is the unlikeliest Super Bowl match-up of modern times, according to the bookmakers. Both teams began the season with odds of 60-1 or worse to go all the way.

The Patriots were among the NFL's weakest teams in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, winning just four games in each.

The appointment last March of Mike Vrabel -- a tough, blue-collar, no-nonsense head coach who played alongside Brady in the glory years -- has been transformative.

A win Sunday would make the Patriots the most decorated NFL team of the modern era, with seven Super Bowls. They are currently tied on six with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"It would be historic," said Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss.

"No one wanted us to be here. No one expected us to be here."

To do so they will rely heavily on the dual threat of Maye, a prodigious ball-carrying runner who is also the league's best at throwing long-range passes.

But Maye also gets sacked more than almost any other quarterback. He comes up against a Seattle defense that loves to swarm the opposing signal-caller, and has yielded the fewest points in the league.

The Seahawks have just one Super Bowl in their trophy cabinet, and their most recent appearance came in a 2015 loss to Brady's Patriots.

For Seattle to get revenge in Sunday's rematch, quarterback Darnold must shed his long-standing reputation for wilting under pressure.

He has already silenced some doubters this post-season by throwing four touchdowns with no interceptions.

"He's a resilient dude and a competitor. A winner," Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald told AFP.

- 'Huge party' -

The game is being played out against the backdrop of Trump's divisive and brutal immigration crackdown. Anger has soared over the killing of two US citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis last month.

NFL security chiefs this week scotched media reports that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers would have a role at the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California.

But politics may not be entirely absent. Bad Bunny used the Grammys stage last weekend to condemn Trump's immigration crackdown.

It has fueled anticipation that he could double down on those comments, in a show watched by 125 million Americans.

Bad Bunny has pledged Puerto Rican culture will feature in "a huge party," but further details are under wraps.

"The world is gonna be happy this Sunday," he promised.

U.Lee--SFF