Andrew Janocko Favorite To Become Raiders’ OC?
Refraining from a Josh McDaniels-like swerve after a Super Bowl, Klint Kubiak indeed signed a contract to become the next Raiders head coach. The Seahawks’ 2025 offensive coordinator generated considerable momentum thanks to his play-calling role on a Super Bowl-winning team.
The Seahawks may well promote from within, but a logical candidate for that role may be spoken for. Seattle quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is the “widely presumed” leader to follow Kubiak as Raiders OC, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. Janocko has worked under Kubiak during each of his three one-year OC stints — in Minnesota, New Orleans and Seattle — which makes a Las Vegas trek logical.
[RELATED: 2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]
The Raiders have not conducted any OC or DC interviews yet, but Kubiak naturally has names in mind for key staff positions. Janocko came up as a rumored Raiders option, but the Seahawks could dangle a carrot the Raiders cannot. Being in consideration for the Seattle OC would open the door to a play-calling role, while Kubiak will call plays in Vegas. Janocko is a clear candidate for the Seattle OC post, with Breer adding offensive line coach John Benton and pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz also figure to be options.
Janocko, 37, worked under both Kubiaks — Klint and Gary — in Minnesota; his tenure as a Vikings assistant also covered the Pat Shurmur and Kevin Stefanski Vikes OC stops. Janocko worked as a Vikings staffer from 2015-21. After Mike Zimmer‘s firing, Janocko ended up as the Bears’ quarterbacks coach. He coached Justin Fields for two seasons under Luke Getsy before rejoining Kubiak in New Orleans as Saints QBs coach.
Janocko’s work with Sam Darnold has generated understandable attention, and it would seem likely the veteran assistant ends up with an OC job in Vegas or Seattle. Janocko has only coached QBs since a 2021 shift to that role in Minnesota, previously residing as the Vikings’ wide receivers coach (2020) and an O-line staffer (2018-19). In Vegas, Janocko would join Kubiak in coaching near-certain No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. But the Raiders certainly need help elsewhere on offense. The Seahawks stand to feature mostly the same starting 11 from their Super Bowl LX win.
Benton, 62, has hovered on the O-line coach level since entering the NFL in 2003. He has been in that role with the Rams, Texans, Dolphins, 49ers, Jets, Saints and Seahawks. Peetz, 40, has been Seattle’s pass-game coordinator for two seasons. He has experience on the OC carousel as well, interviewing for the Lions’ job this year and the Buccaneers’ gig in 2024. Had McDaniels not spurned the Colts in 2018, he was planning to hire him as OC. While no promotion to that level has occurred yet for Peetz, the ex-Sean McVay assistant may end up in the Seahawks’ chair soon.
Lions O-line coach Hank Fraley also looms as a name to monitor for the Seattle OC job, Breer adds. The Seahawks interviewed Fraley for their OC role last year, scheduling a second interview, but the Lions reached an agreement to retain him and remove him from the Seattle search. Fraley also helped the Lions zero in on Drew Petzing as OC this offseason. Fraley, 48, has been with the Lions since 2018.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Cross
The 49ers acquired what turned out to be a quality trade chip when they gave Mac Jones a two-year, $7MM contract. That turned out to bring strong value, after the team saw Brock Purdy miss eight games. San Francisco managed a 5-3 record with Jones at the helm, and with Purdy in the $50MM-AAV club, the 49ers are expected to receive trade calls on their backup. While San Francisco wants to retain Jones, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows predicts the team will receive an offer strong enough to move on.
With Jones tied to a $1.4MM base salary and teams undoubtedly interested in turning to him as a starter, the 49ers could certainly ask for a Day 2 pick and a Day 3 choice. A second-round pick may not be out of the question for a player who could be in demand. Jones, 27, completed a career-high 69.6% of his passes in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense last season. He surpassed 2,000 passing yards in limited duty and finished with a 13-6 TD-INT ratio. The 49ers seeing Purdy miss extensive time years after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s injury-plagued tenure will naturally influence them to stay the course with Jones, but a big offer could certainly change the team’s thinking.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- While Fred Warner was practicing again when the 49ers’ season ended, defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams were out of the picture. Bosa suffered an ACL tear in Week 3, while Williams went down with an ACL tear in Week 9. John Lynch said (via Barrows) training camp returns will be expected for both players. Bosa made it back from his September 2020 ACL tear by Week 1 of the 2021 season. While Williams landing on the reserve/PUP list would not surprise, an early expectation points to the 2025 first-rounder being ready to start the 2026 campaign.
- The Rams are adding a coach to their defensive backs contingent. Michael Hunter will be added to Sean McVay‘s staff, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Hunter is coming over from Tennessee. He did not spend much time with the SEC program, being hired after the 2025 season. Hunter previously coached cornerbacks at Ohio State for two seasons. Hunter, 32, played six NFL games with the Giants from 2016-17. The Rams have seen pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant receive extensive DC interest, but he has not landed a job yet.
- Staying with Rams DB matters, safety Quentin Lake‘s recent extension covers three years and is worth $38.25MM. Of the previously reported $25.7MM guaranteed figure, just $8.5MM of that total will be guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. If on the roster by Day 3 of the 2026 league year, Lake will see an additional $3.25MM guarantee for 2026 and see his full $12.75MM 2027 compensation shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee. If on the Rams’ roster by Day 5 of the 2028 league year, Lake will be due a $2.55MM roster bonus.
- Charles Cross‘ four-year, $104.4MM Seahawks extension includes $43.1MM fully guaranteed, per OverTheCap. The Super Bowl champions have structured this deal similarly to Sam Darnold‘s. Cross will see his $13.63MM 2027 salary become fully guaranteed five days after Super Bowl LXI. Cross will carry a $10.88MM cap hit in 2026; the number spikes to $23MM in 2027.
Raiders Officially Name Klint Kubiak Head Coach
The Raiders have made it official. The team announced this evening that they’ve named Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach.
Kubiak is now the 25th head coach in franchise history, and he’s the sixth since the team moved to Las Vegas. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Kubiak will receive a five-year contract from the Raiders.
Of course, this move doesn’t come as any surprise. The franchise seemed to be leaning towards Kubiak last week, and the 38-year-old was reportedly set to negotiate a deal with the organization. Then, Kubiak all but confirmed the news last night following the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win when he revealed that he’d indeed be taking his talents from Seattle to Las Vegas.
The son of Gary Kubiak, Klint has bounced around the NFL during his coaching career, including stops with the Vikings, Saints, and Seahawks as the offensive coordinator. It was that latter stop that made him seem destined to take the next step of his career, as Kubiak was the most popular name during this year’s hiring cycle. The 38-year-old ultimately interviewed for seven of the 10 HC vacancies, and he landed one of those opportunities in Las Vegas.
After helping guide Sam Darnold and the Seahawks offense to a surprising top-10 showing this past season, Kubiak will now be tasked with turning around a franchise that’s only made the postseason twice in the past 23 years. Besides landing on their new head coach, the Raiders are also anticipated to add a new franchise QB this offseason, as the team is expected to select reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall pick.
Before Kubiak can focus on the on-field product, he’ll have to quickly build out his staff. Considering his inexperience as a head coach, Jason La Canfora of Sportsboom.com writes that the Raiders are expected to prioritize experience as they look to fill out the coaching staff. One name in particular that could stand out is Jim Schwartz, who hastily left the Browns after losing out on their head coaching job.
Per La Canfora, the veteran defensive coach has several fans in the building. This includes Kubiak, and the offensive-minded head coach presumably wouldn’t meddle in Schwartz’s defensive approach. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady is also a “strong supporter” of the coach. Since the Raiders have traditionally shown a willingness to “spend heavily” on assistants, there’s an expectation among league sources that Schwartz will ultimately land in Las Vegas.
There would remain one hurdle in the Raiders’ pursuit, however: the Browns have Schwartz under contract through 2026, meaning Las Vegas would have to negotiate with the AFC foe to lure the coach. As Albert Breer of SI.com notes, this has led some to believe that Schwartz could simply sit out the upcoming campaign, and there’s some belief that the coach may be simply waiting for the Eagles DC job to open up.
On the offensive side of the ball, Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is a “natural candidate,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Prior to his success with Darnold, Janocko was credited with getting some of the best career showings from the likes of Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields, and Derek Carr. It’s no coincidence that the coach has also joined Kubiak in multiple stops, making him an obvious candidate for the gig. Of course, there’s also a chance the Seahawks simply look to promote him to their newfound OC vacancy.
Speaking of the Seahawks, Fowler notes that in-house options like offensive passing game coordinator Jake Peetz and running backs coach Justin Outten could also be options to replace Kubiak, as could Lions senior assistant Mike Kafka.
Seahawks Likely To Pursue Internal Klint Kubiak OC Replacement?
Sunday night’s Super Bowl victory marked a successful end to Klint Kubiak‘s Seattle tenure. After one season as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Kubiak is in position to become the new head coach of the Raiders. 
Replacing Kubiak will be a key priority for Seattle in the near future. Many of the coordinator openings around the NFL have of course already been filled, something which will limit the market for outside candidates in Seattle’s case. That may not prove to be particularly relevant, though.
There is a “strong possibility” the Seahawks will look to replace Kubiak through an internal promotion, ESPN’s Brady Henderson reports. He also predicts the list of staffers who will follow Kubiak from Seattle to Las Vegas will be relatively short. How things play out on that front will obviously influence the candidate pool the Seahawks have to choose from.
Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz and running backs coach Justin Outten are among the coaches Seattle had in place for the team’s Super Bowl run. Any or all of them will no doubt receive consideration from Kubiak as he pieces together his staff. Each could be seen as prime candidates to be promoted to the OC role in Seattle, however. In any event, the Seahawks are required to conduct at least one in-person interview with an external minority candidate to satisfy the Rooney Rule.
Head coach Mike Macdonald will soon have a third OC in place in as many years leading the Seahawks. Needless to say, he will look for a level of success much closer to Kubiak’s single campaign in Seattle than Ryan Grubb‘s one-and-done showing as offensive coordinator from 2024.
Final 2026 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LX in the books, the full 2026 NFL draft order has been set. Free agency is not far away, but attention will increasingly turn to April’s event as the offseason progresses.
The top of the first-round order is not subject to much in the way of speculation. The Raiders own the No. 1 selection and are widely seen as the landing spot for Fernando Mendoza, the lone quarterback regarded as a first-round lock at this point. How other QB-needy teams positioned throughout the order operate over the coming weeks – knowing there is a lack of high-end prospects this year – will make for an interesting storyline around the league.
This year’s NFL Combine will begin on February 23. Events such as the Senior Bowl have already taken place, leaving the Combine as the next major checkpoint in the evaluation of top prospects. Teams will begin arranging ‘Top 30’ visits with several players of interest relatively soon during the build-up to the draft. This year’s event will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.
Pending the inevitable trades which will shake up the order, here is a final look at how things stand leading up to Day 1:
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
- New York Jets (3-14)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- New York Giants (4-13)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
- Washington Commanders (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
- Miami Dolphins (7-10)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
- Chicago Bears (11-6)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Houston Texans (12-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- Denver Broncos (14-3)
- New England Patriots (14-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Seahawks’ Defense Dominates In Super Bowl LX Win Over Patriots
Two years ago, the Seahawks took a risk in hiring a 36-year-old Mike Macdonald who only had two years of experience as a coordinator at the NFL level. As they celebrate in confetti, joyous off a 29-13 win fueled by Macdonald’s defense, the toughest defense to score against in 2025, it’s clear the risk was well worth the reward. 
While the defense held the spotlight for most of the biggest game of the year, there are plenty of other factors to point to when determining how Seattle got to this place in 2025. Starting with the defense, though, Macdonald inherited a group that allowed the eighth-most points and the third-most yards in 2023. In his first year at the helm, that unit improved greatly to the league’s 11th-best scoring defense and the 14th-best total defense. They finished 2025 having allowed the fewest points and the sixth-fewest yards in the NFL.
The team’s defensive personnel looks extremely different than it did two years ago. With Bobby Wagner, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Jordyn Brooks, Dre’Mont Jones, and Michael Jackson all departed, the Seahawks made an effort to get younger on defense, building around promising, young players like Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love with defenders who fit Macdonald’s system. By trading for Ernest Jones, drafting players like Byron Murphy and Nick Emmanwori, keeping Leonard Williams in free agency, and bringing in free agents DeMarcus Lawrence, Josh Jobe, and Jarran Reed, Seattle gave one of the league’s best defensive minds a completely retooled defense that dominated throughout their Super Bowl-winning campaign.
Macdonald didn’t just make significant changes to the defense, though. He also realized that turning around an offense that finished 21st in yards and 17th in points scored in 2023 was going to be a priority. While the unit improved in 2024, there was a determination that what was in place was not good enough. The team fired rookie NFL offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, traded resurgent veteran quarterback Geno Smith, traded away unhappy wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, and released ten-year mainstay Tyler Lockett.
Credit can go to general manager John Schneider and his front office staff for this year’s offense, built around young draft picks like running back (and Super Bowl LX MVP) Kenneth Walker III, Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zach Charbonnet, AJ Barner, and all five starting offensive linemen who were drafted in the last four years — aside from center Jalen Sundell who signed last year as an undrafted free agent.
The necessary supplement to Schneider’s strong draft success to make this unit the third-best scoring offense with the eighth-most yards gained was just the right free agent additions. A new resurgent quarterback, Sam Darnold, and a savvy No. 2 receiver in Cooper Kupp proved to be the perfect fit.
As the Seahawks look to run it all back in 2026, there will be some contract situations to address. Walker, Jobe, Boye Mafe, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen, and midseason trade acquisition Rashid Shaheed are all set to become unrestricted free agents in March, while starting linebacker Drake Thomas is set to become a restricted free agent.
Luckily, Seattle is in an excellent position when considering cap space for 2026. With their biggest cap hits coming from Darnold ($36.9MM), Williams ($29.64MM), Uchenna Nwosu ($20.77MM), and Kupp ($17.5MM), the Seahawks are sitting pretty with approximately $73.28MM of cap space, per OvertheCap.com, good for the sixth-highest amount in the NFL. And while they only have four draft picks for this coming April, they hold all three of their Day 1 & 2 picks. The team’s biggest challenge will be replacing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who will now depart to become the next head coach of the Raiders.
After falling short in the toughest game they played this year, the Patriots will turn focus now on how to return to this spot and make sure this sort of offensive performance never happens again. New England rode the league’s No. 2 scoring offense and No. 3 total offense to the Super Bowl then struggled offensively throughout the playoffs. While their defense held AFC opponents in check, in great part due to forcing eight turnovers throughout the postseason, MVP runner up Drake Maye didn’t throw for over 235 yards until tonight, and the offense gave up eight turnovers of its own. And while the running game had buoyed the offense during the run to Super Bowl, Seattle’s defense held them to only 79 yards on the ground tonight. 
The Patriots are also in a decent position to run it all back, though, in 2026. There are a few strong contributors like Jaylinn Hawkins, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Jack Gibbens set to test free agency, but New England holds the 11th-most cap space in the NFL at $42.74MM, per OvertheCap.com. They can even expand on that number by addressing the contracts of a few veterans, who could end up as cap casualties like Stefon Diggs or Morgan Moses. If tonight showed them any glaring issues, they can make a strong attempt to address it with that excessive cap space or one of their 11 draft picks.
Tonight’s game wrapped up another fine NFL season and set us up for what is sure to be an exciting offseason as we now careen toward free agency and the draft. All those whose teams were eliminated far before tonight can renew their championship hopes with visions of tomorrow, and all 10 newly hired head coaches can start sweating as they realize the example that’s been set before them by Mike Vrabel taking a 4-13 squad to 14-3 and a Super Bowl berth in his first year and Macdonald winning a Super Bowl in Year 2. Congratulations to the Seahawks and the 12s (formerly known as the much cooler “12th man”)! Good luck to the rest in 2026!
Klint Kubiak To Become Raiders’ HC
FEBRUARY 8: With Super Bowl LX behind him and the job done, Kubiak has confirmed that he will be the next head coach of the Raiders, per Stacey Dales of NFL Network. Las Vegas will be welcoming the Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator to potentially serve as head coach over the presumed No. 1 draft pick, Mendoza, for the 2026 NFL season.
FEBRUARY 1: A recent report pegged Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as the favorite for the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy. While no agreement was immediately struck upon the completion of Kubiak’s second interview with Las Vegas brass — nothing can be finalized until after Super Bowl LX — the club is “zeroing in” on Kubiak, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Pelissero’s NFL Network colleague, Ian Rapoport, says the Raiders believe they have their guy. 
More importantly, Kubiak himself intends to work out a deal with Las Vegas, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Kubiak, who also took a second interview for the Cardinals’ HC post on Saturday, was one of the most popular candidates in this year’s cycle. In all, he interviewed with seven of the 10 clubs in need of a head coach.
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero was among the candidates who interviewed twice with the Raiders. According to The Athletic’s Joe Person, Evero was still in contention to be hired during the time when Kubiak was weighing his options.
Las Vegas’ opening was not seen as particularly desirable. The club just finished a 3-14 season, does not have a particularly inspiring roster outside of a couple of high-end players, and plays in a difficult AFC West. However, the Raiders do have two things going for them: the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, and the second-most projected cap space in the league (just shy of $90MM, per OverTheCap.com).
With that No. 1 overall pick, the expectation is that the Raiders will select reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who quarterbacked Indiana to a 16-0 season and a CFP National Championship in 2025. Mendoza is easily the best passer in his class, and Las Vegas was said to be seeking an offensive-minded HC to pair with their presumptive top draft choice.
With Kubiak, the team has exactly that. The 38-year-old’s stock has risen sharply in recent years, including three different offensive coordinator stints. Each of Kubiak’s tenures with the Vikings, Saints and Seahawks have proven to be just one year in length, but they have elevated his status as one of the league’s most highly regarded offensive minds. Kubiak’s NFL resume also includes pass-game coordinator duties with the Broncos (2022) and 49ers (2023).
A coach in various capacities dating back to 2010, Kubiak has never led a college or pro staff before. He represents an unknown as a result, but that is also true of many other first-time head coaches hired during the 2026 cycle. The Raiders will aim for stability on the sidelines with this hire, something which has been sorely lacking during the franchise’s Vegas period. Changes on the coaching staff and in the front office have been commonplace in recent years.
A housecleaning took place last offseason with head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco each being dismissed after only one full season in their respective roles. The Raiders brought in John Spytek as GM, making him part of a front office influenced in large part by minority owner Tom Brady. Together, they played a key role in hiring Pete Carroll as head coach.
Expectations were high for at least modest success in 2025, with Carroll and a reunion with quarterback Geno Smith seeming to provide a strong floor for the Raiders. Not much (if anything) went according to plan, however, with Carroll firing two of his coordinators in the middle of the campaign. No observers were surprised when Carroll himself was dismissed one day after the season ended. That began a lengthy search, one which has now landed on Kubiak. Brady and Kubiak “hit it off” during the interview process, Schefter’s colleague Jeremy Fowler adds.
The Seahawks thrived with Kubiak and new quarterback Sam Darnold in place for 2025. Seattle earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC before winning two straight home games to reach next week’s Super Bowl. A strong defense has contributed greatly to their shared success over the course of the season, but Darnold was highly productive in the NFC title game (321 yards, three touchdowns, no giveaways). It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks fare next season with another new OC in place, the third since Mike Macdonald took over as head coach.
Provided the Kubiak agreement will become finalized after the Super Bowl, the Cardinals loom as the only NFL team with a head coaching vacancy. Kubiak’s decision to join the Raiders will thin Arizona’s list of final candidates even further.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Patriots, Seahawks Make Final Roster Moves For Super Bowl LX
As the last two teams standing in the fight for the Lombardi Trophy in the 2025 NFL season, the Patriots and Seahawks get the honor of making the final minor moves of the season. Both teams have opted to utilize their two standard gameday practice squad elevations for the big game. 
New England is going with the age-old mantra of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” in their elevation strategy. For the third contest in a row, the Patriots have designated running back D’Ernest Johnson and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor as their two taxi squad callups. Both players opened their 2025 campaigns on different teams.
Johnson’s 2025 story began as a late training camp addition in Baltimore, where he failed to make the initial 53-man roster but landed on the practice squad. After three weeks without seeing action, Johnson was released from the Ravens’ taxi squad and landed on Arizona’s. He appeared in one game, getting one carry, for the Cardinals before getting released again. He rebounded once more, landing in New England just before Halloween, and was elevated in two straight games before getting signed to the active roster for a third. He contributed sparingly to the run game, logging just 14 carries for 25 yards, but served as a main kick returner in the final two weeks of the season. After being relegated back to the practice squad for the playoffs, Johnson has continued in that kickoff returning role.
Taylor began the year with the Jets, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Miami (FL) in 2024. Taylor was featured in New York’s defensive line rotation in Weeks 2 & 3 but, after not appearing in the team’s next three games, was waived. As soon as he cleared waivers, New England signed him to their practice squad in mid-October, but he wouldn’t debut for his new team until a Week 15 elevation. Taylor has played in every game since then as a taxi squad elevation, with the team incorporating him into the defensive rotation a good amount in the final two weeks of the regular season. Though his playing time has reduced a bit in the playoffs, Taylor came through in a big moment, making the key block of a Denver game-tying field goal attempt in the final five minutes of the AFC Championship.
Seattle is sticking to the status quo, as well, designating running backs Cam Akers and Velus Jones Jr. as their two practice squad elevations. For their previous two playoff games, the Seahawks elevated Jones for the divisional round and both Akers and Jones for the conference championship. Like the Patriots’ duo, both backs started their 2025 campaigns elsewhere in the NFL.
After spending the offseason in New Orleans and getting cut in training camp, Akers landed in a familiar spot signing with the Vikings for a third time, this one on a practice squad contract. Minnesota elevated him for three straight weeks from Weeks 3-5, seeing him tote five carries for 19 yards in Week 3 and running a trick play in which he threw a 32-yard touchdown in Week 5, but after Akers ran out of elevations, he was released from the practice squad in late November. Four days later, he landed in Seattle. He was elevated for the last three games of the regular season, serving as a special teamer in those games and then again in the conference championship.
Jones also spent his offseason with the Saints. He made the initial 53-man roster but was used exclusively as a special teamer. After getting shuffled back and forth to the practice squad in October, Jones was waived again and landed this time on Seattle’s taxi squad. The Seahawks elevated him for three straight games from Weeks 13-15, and though he mainly remained a core special teamer, he did get 32 rushing yards on four carries in Week 14. Though he was elevated for both of Seattle’s playoff games, he only made an appearance late in the team’s blowout win over the 49ers in the divisional round.
While the practice squad elevations won’t be getting much coverage on Super Bowl Sunday, these hard-working players have found ways to make enough of an impact for these conference champions that they’ve been called up for duty one more time. They’ll look to show up for their team again under the brightest lights of the season.
Poll: Who Will Win Super Bowl LX?
Eleven years after the Malcolm Butler interception, the Patriots and Seahawks will reconvene to decide an NFL champion. Super Bowl LX is the Patriots’ 12th Super Bowl appearance and the Seahawks’ fourth, but none of the players who played in Super Bowl XLIX are involved here. A small percentage of these rosters carry Super Bowl experience, but for the most part, retooled teams will vie for this year’s title.
The Patriots have completed one of the great turnarounds in NFL history, moving from 4-13 in back-to-back seasons to a 14-3 record en route to the AFC’s No. 2 seed. Drake Maye trailed Matthew Stafford by one first-place vote in the MVP race, as the QBs contested the closest vote since 2003. The Patriots added some veterans around their QB’s rookie contract, as the Seahawks did 11 years ago around Russell Wilson‘s, but their coaching moves became the most significant alterations.
Mike Vrabel is set to coach in his first Super Bowl after playing in four with the Pats from 2001-07. The former linebacker/goal-line pass catcher joined Ben Johnson as the top HC candidates available last year, and while interest from other teams emerged, Vrabel committed to a New England return quickly. Robert Kraft made a mistake in not conducting a coaching search in 2024, committing years before to promote Jerod Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick, and the owner acknowledged that miss by firing him after one season. Vrabel has played the lead role in restoring the Pats to a Super Bowl team.
Vrabel’s decision to bring back Josh McDaniels for a third Patriots OC stint has made a considerable difference as well. Fired in-season by two AFC West teams, McDaniels is unlikely to earn a third HC opportunity. No interviews came this year, despite Maye’s ascent to the MVP precipice. McDaniels topping out on the OC tier would be a boon for the Patriots, as they could ensure Maye play-calling continuity with a defensive head coach. That is rather rare in the modern NFL.
McDaniels, 49, could provide a tremendous advantage for the underdog Pats on Sunday night. The veteran staffer is set for his sixth Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator. This ties Steve Spagnuolo — McDaniels’ former Rams boss — for the most Super Bowls by a coordinator. But McDaniels was with the Patriots for their Super Bowl XLVI appearance, rejoining the team under OC Bill O’Brien after his Rams one-and-done, and he was on Belichick’s staff for the Pats’ first three Tom Brady-era Super Bowls.
The Pats do not have any players left from their Brady-years Super Bowl berths, having bid farewell to Jonathan Jones, David Andrews, Deatrich Wise and Joe Cardona this past offseason. But the Vrabel-McDaniels pairing stands to help in a game where the AFC champion looks to have the inferior roster.
New England used its cap space to add ex-Vrabel Titans edge rusher Harold Landry and win the Milton Williams sweepstakes. No 2025 FA (Sam Darnold included) received a bigger at-signing guarantee than Williams’ $51MM. The Pats also signed O-line starters Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury. With Maye and Christian Gonzalez on rookie deals, the Pats gave Carlton Davis a three-year, $48MM accord.
Seeing Chris Godwin reject a strong offer, the Patriots inked Stefon Diggs, who has led a third team in receiving during an 11-year career. The team’s K’Lavon Chaisson flier (one year, $3MM) has paid dividends as well, with the former Jaguars first-round bust upping his free agency stock with a 7.5-sack season. The team’s 2025 draft class yielded four starters — left tackle Will Campbell, LG Jared Wilson and safety Craig Woodson, kicker Andres Borregales — and oft-used RB2 TreVeyon Henderson. Campbell, Henderson and Wilson helped the Maye-led offense rank first in EPA per play.
It is certainly worthwhile to mention the Patriots’ favorable schedule to reach this point. New England’s docket included just one victory over a team with a winning record (an October victory in Buffalo), and its playoff slate brought unimpressive offensive work. That postseason schedule featured a Texans team missing Nico Collins (and then second-leading receiver Dalton Schultz), and the Broncos losing Bo Nix late in their divisional-round win may well have altered the Super Bowl matchup, as the Pats limped to a 10-7 win over a Jarrett Stidham-quarterbacked team.
New England will face a more formidable opponent in Seattle. The Seahawks went 14-3 and led the NFL in DVOA; the Patriots ranked ninth. Seattle’s defense ranked first in scoring and second in EPA per play.
Mike Macdonald‘s team beat six regular-season opponents with winning records. While the Seahawks feasted on an injury-battered 49ers team in Round 2, the NFC’s No. 1 seed left no doubt with a 41-6 dismantling. The Seahawks then outdueled MVP Matthew Stafford in a thrilling Rams rubber match; DVOA slotted Los Angeles second this season.
The Seahawks did well to bail on Geno Smith extension talks when they did, foisting another declining quarterback on an AFC West team. John Schneider‘s previous such move — the 2022 Russell Wilson blockbuster — armed the Seahawks with an eight-asset package that helped set up this Super Bowl team. The Broncos ended up trading two top-10 picks, which became left tackle Charles Cross and Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Schneider, who became the Seahawks’ lead decision-maker via Pete Carroll‘s 2024 firing, has moved toward a Hall of Fame-caliber resume thanks to these two trades and guiding a team back to a Super Bowl berth with a fresh nucleus.
Seattle’s Klint Kubiak OC hire helped the team lure Darnold to town, and the team did well to sign the 2024 Vikings Pro Bowler to a three-year, $100.5MM deal. Darnold only received $37.5MM guaranteed at signing; another $17.5MM is due days after the Super Bowl. Given Darnold’s performance, it is safe to assume he will remain on the roster when that guarantee vests next week.
While the Seahawks only boasted one receiver with more than 600 yards, Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s 1,793 led the NFL and earned him Offensive Player of the Year acclaim. Schneider also made a savvy deadline addition with Rashid Shaheed, acquiring the contract-year deep threat/return man from the Saints for fourth- and fifth-round picks. Shaheed has returned a kickoff and a punt for a score while providing Seattle with a solid auxiliary receiving option alongside Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.
Macdonald’s defensive expertise has illuminated the value defense-oriented HCs can bring — amid annual quests for offense-oriented leaders — and additions DeMarcus Lawrence and Nick Emmanwori have made impacts. Emmanwori joins guard Grey Zabel as pivotal 2025 draft choices for the NFC champs, who also have benefited from re-signing Leonard Williams (2024) and Ernest Jones (2025) after trades. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues with Shaheed.
The Seahawks are currently 4.5-point favorites over the Patriots. Will Seattle win championship No. 2 and avenge the Butler sequence, or will New England break a tie with Pittsburgh to claim its seventh Super Bowl crown? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on the matchup in the comments section.
RB Kenneth Walker Wants To Re-Sign With Seahawks
In November, a report surfaced indicating Kenneth Walker was not a clear-cut re-signing target for the Seahawks. But circumstances have changed since. The team has advanced to Super Bowl LX, and Zach Charbonnet is out after suffering an ACL tear in the divisional round.
Charbonnet is under contract for one more season but is now rehabbing a major injury. Walker is set for free agency, and Mike Macdonald recently expressed interest in the former second-round pick staying. Walker, 25, also wants to remain in the Pacific Northwest.
“I’ve been here four years, so you know I’ve gotten to know a lot of stuff about Seattle, and you know a lot of the city, and I feel like they feel good about me as well,” Walker said, via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra. “So if it was my choice, though, I’d definitely stay.”
Considering the talent gap between Walker and his healthy backups, it would behoove the Seahawks to enter into contract talks. The team has barely a month left of exclusive negotiating rights with its starting running back. Walker is poised to join Breece Hall and Travis Etienne as the top RBs available on this year’s market. Hall has been connected to a possible franchise tag, which is projected (via OverTheCap) to come in around $14.5MM. A transition tag, which brings no compensation in the event of an unmatched offer sheet, is projected to cost more than $11MM.
The Seahawks are in great shape, cap-wise, having signed Sam Darnold to what looks like a wildly team-friendly contract. They are projected to hold more than $73MM in cap space. The team will likely enter extension talks with Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but talks with DB Coby Bryant did not produce a deal. Defenders Boye Mafe and Riq Woolen also are expected to hit free agency next month. Walker could suddenly profile as a player at or near the top of the NFC champions’ priority list.
Walker stayed healthy this season, playing 17 games, and posted his second 1,000-yard slate (1,027) but has seen injury trouble affect him during periods on his rookie contract. And the team gave Charbonnet a bigger role in 2025. Charbonnet tallied a 49% snap share this season to Walker’s 47%. The 2023 second-round pick had previously held more of a true backup role, but he impressed in training camp this year and secured the trust of Klint Kubiak and Co. Charbonnet will now be a candidate to begin next season on the reserve/PUP list; that would strengthen Walker’s leverage in Seahawks talks.
The Hawks have re-signed RBs in the past, inking Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny to second contracts. They also re-signed Marshawn Lynch under GM John Schneider in 2015. Both Carson and Penny ran into injury trouble on their second deals, however. The team drafted Walker months after Carson’s career-ending neck injury. Seattle will need to pony up more money if a second Walker pact is to commence, but it would now make sense for the team to show interest.