Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks will see their championship banner raised before hosting Drake Maye and the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl rematch to kick off the NFL season on Wednesday night. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
The 2026 season begins in Seattle one day before the 49ers and Rams meet in Melbourne, Australia, in the first of nine international games.
Led by their “Dark Side” defense, the Seahawks dominated the Patriots 29-13 to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl in February.
They lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, cornerback Riq Woolen, safety Coby Bryant and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. But they’re 3 1/2-point favorites against New England.
“It’s going to be electric,” Seahawks All-Pro receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said on AP’s “Football Unfiltered” podcast. “I’m excited. ... Definitely looking forward to being out there again on this new journey with our new team, with our fans, it’s going be awesome.”
The Patriots gave Maye a new No. 1 receiver, acquiring A.J. Brown from Philadelphia. They also signed veteran wideout Romeo Doubs and bolstered the secondary by adding All-Pro safety Kevin Byard.
Aaron Donald ruled out of the Rams’ season opener against the 49ers, won’t travel to Australia. Running back Breece Hall is trending toward playing in the Jets’ opener against the Titans. Patrick Mahomes expected to start for the Chiefs against the Broncos in Week 1.
SAN FRANCISCO vs. LOS ANGELES RAMS, in Australia. Line: Rams minus 3 ½.
Aaron Donald is back to join Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie on a star-studded defense in Los Angeles. With a dynamic offense led by reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford and All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua, the Rams are Super Bowl favorites. But they’re in the toughest division in the NFL and the 49ers were one win away from the No. 1.