FILE - A member of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with the Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
The Seattle Seahawks have gotten an offseason full of congratulations, their Super Bowl rings and now will get the chance to see the banner raised before kicking off this season with hopes of repeating.
But the Seahawks know that none of that matters once the 2026 NFL season starts.
"I don't see a single person in the building patting themselves on the back for what we did last year," defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. "I think everybody in the building understands that we have to start from the bottom all over again. To get to the top of that mountain, we have to start at the bottom."
They will start the season the same way the last one ended, by facing the New England Patriots seven months and one day after beating them 29-13 in Super Bowl 60 in a dominating performance punctuated by a wild cigar and champagne celebration in the locker room of one of their division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers.
This marks only the third time in NFL history that there is a Super Bowl rematch in Week 1. It also happened in 2016, when defending champion Denver beat Carolina 21-20, and in the first year of the merger, when Minnesota avenged a loss to Kansas City with a 27-10 victory in 1970.
In all, this will be the 12th time the two teams that played in the Super Bowl meet the following season, with the champion having won eight of the previous 11 matchups, including Philadelphia's win over Kansas City in Week 2 last season.
The Patriots know nothing that happens Wednesday can make up for the result last February, so the focus is on getting going this season.
"This is our chance to start the season off strong, on a good foot and knowing that the opponent that we have," Patriots quarterback Drake Maye said. "You get to say, you get a little bit of a revenge game, but I would not say revenge game. They won the big one, and we got to start the season off. You cannot get that game back that we lost, so we are on to something new."
New England has lost four of its past five season openers, while Coach Mike Vrabel has a 2-5 record in season openers. Seattle has won five of its past seven season openers and is 1-1 in Week 1 under coach Mike Macdonald.
Maye was the MVP runner-up last season after leading the NFL in completion percentage (72%), passer rating (113.5) and finished in the top five in touchdown passes (31) and yards passing (4,394). But he struggled in the playoffs with an 82.2 passer rating in four games.
Wide receiver A.J. Brown makes his debut for New England after being acquired from Philadelphia in an offseason trade. Brown had 78 catches for 1,003 yards and 7 touchdowns last season for the Eagles. Brown is the fifth player ever with at least 1,000 yards receiving and seven touchdown catches in six of his first seven seasons.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has won 14 starts and thrown for more than 4,000 yards in each of the past two seasons. The only other quarterback with back-to-back 14-win seasons was Tom Brady in 2003-04.
FILE - Seattle Seahawks players celebrate on the sideline late in the game against the New England Patriots during the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Doug Benc, File)
FILE - Seattle Seahawks players celebrate on the sideline late in the game against the New England Patriots during the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Feb. 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Doug Benc, File)
New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez runs towards a practice field during the team's NFL football training camp, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez runs towards a practice field during the team's NFL football training camp, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
FILE - Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) tackles New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano, File)
FILE - Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) tackles New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano, File)
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talks with the media prior to an NFL football practice, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talks with the media prior to an NFL football practice, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)