Seahawks Get Patriots in Week 1 Super Bowl Rematch

Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots helmets at Levi's Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Seahawks Get Patriots in Week 1 Super Bowl Rematch

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated May 13, 2026 6:40 PM ET

The Seattle Seahawks will begin the 2026 season just like they ended the previous one against the New England Patriots.

The two participants in Super Bowl LX will meet at Lumen Field for the first matchup of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 9. The game is taking place the day before Thursday Night Football to make room for the Los Angeles Rams' contest against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.

This marks just the 11th time in the last 50 seasons that the two teams meeting in the previous Super Bowl have faced off in the following season. However, it is the fourth time in as many seasons.

History of Super Bowl Rematches

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Over the last 10 instances where the previous season’s finalists met again, the defending Super Bowl champions have secured a victory in eight of those contests.

This trend suggests that the Seahawks may be favored as they host the Patriots, especially since the revenge factor has historically favored the champion in these high-stakes opening matchups.

In 1977, the Oakland Raiders beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI and in a Week 13 matchup the following season. Two years later, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Dallas Cowboys and dominated them in the following regular season.

The tables were turned in 1993 when the Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl, but Jim Kelly's squad was able to eke out a 13-10 victory in Week 2 later that fall. In 1997, the trend of Super Bowl champions doubling up on their final boss continued. The Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots in both meetings, and the Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in each of their meetings.

Two years later, the Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50 and the 2016 season opener. That was the last time the Super Bowl matchup from the previous season was also the following season opener.

In 2017, the Patriots beat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI and in Week 7 of the 2017 season. The streak of Super Bowl champions winning the following matchup ended in 2023 when they beat the Eagles but couldn't double down in Week 11 of the 2023 campaign.

The Chiefs rebounded by beating the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl and in Week 7 of the 2024 season. In 2025, the Eagles got their revenge, beating up on the Chiefs in the Super Bowl and in Week 2 of the 2025 season.

The remainder of the Seahawks' 2026 schedule will be released on Thursday, May 14 at 5 p.m. PT.