1979 – The Los Angeles Rams become the lowest‑scoring Super Bowl champion, averaging 15 points per game in the postseason, a benchmark later referenced when the Patriots’ 2025 defense averages 18 points per game, the fewest for a Super Bowl team since that Rams squad [4].

2000 – The Baltimore Ravens allow only 26 points across three playoff games, setting a defensive standard that the 2025 Patriots match, surrendering just 26 points en route to Super Bowl 60 [7].

2008 – The Super Bowl features a rare coaching matchup of two first‑ or second‑year head coaches (Mike Tomlin vs. Ken Whisenhunt), a scenario echoed in 2026 when Mike Vrabel and Mike Macdonald, both in their first or second seasons, meet in the title game [7].

Feb 1, 2015 – The Patriots defeat the Seahawks 28‑24 in Super Bowl XLIX, the only previous championship meeting between the franchises, a result the 2026 rematch seeks to reverse [8].

Feb 7, 2016 – Levi’s Stadium hosts Super Bowl 50, where the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers, marking the venue’s first championship and setting the stage for its second hosting in 2026 [8].

Feb 3, 2019 – New England wins Super Bowl LIII, beating the Los Angeles Rams 13‑3, its most recent title before the 2026 appearance and tying the Steelers with six championships [5].

2023 season – The Patriots finish 4‑13 under head coach Jerod Mayo, prompting owner Robert Kraft to replace him with former linebacker Mike Vrabel for the 2024 season [4].

2024 season – New England repeats a 4‑13 record under Mayo before Vrabel takes over, highlighting the depth of the franchise’s turnaround challenge [1].

2025 season – Mike Vrabel leads the Patriots to a 14‑3 record, tying the NFL’s biggest single‑season win swing and positioning him as a candidate to become the first former player to win a Super Bowl as both player and head coach for the same franchise [1][4].

2025 season – Mike Macdonald and British coordinator Aden Durde guide the Seahawks to a 14‑3 record, their first NFC title since 2014, and Sam Darnold becomes the first quarterback to post consecutive 14‑win seasons with different teams, aided by league‑leading receiver Jaxon Smith‑Njigba [1].

2025 season – Rookie quarterback Drake Maye starts for New England, earning MVP and Offensive Player of the Year finalist honors and becoming the second‑youngest Super Bowl starter in history behind Dan Marino [4][5].

Jan 25, 2026 – The Patriots defeat the Denver Broncos 10‑7 in a snowy AFC championship, with Drake Maye’s 6‑yard TD run and Andy Borregales’ 23‑yard field goal securing New England’s 12th Super Bowl berth, its first since the Tom Brady era [2][3][4][9].

Jan 25, 2026 – The Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams 31‑27 in the NFC championship, as Sam Darnold throws three touchdowns and the defense forces a turnover on downs inside the 10‑yard line, delivering Seattle’s first conference title since 2014 [2][3][4][9].

Jan 26, 2026 – NFL announces Super Bowl 60 will be played on Feb 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, marking the league’s marquee showcase for the 2025‑26 season and the venue’s second championship after 2016 [2][5][8][9].

Jan 26, 2026 – NBC, Telemundo, Peacock and Universo are confirmed as broadcast partners for Super Bowl 60, with the halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny—the first solo male Latin artist to headline and to perform entirely in Spanish—while Green Day opens the ceremony [1][5][6].

Jan 26, 2026 – Patriots defensive scheme limits opponents to just 26 points across three playoff games, the fewest allowed since the 2000 Ravens, and the team averages only 18 points per game, the lowest total for a Super Bowl team since the 1979 Rams [4][7][9].

Jan 26, 2026 – Sam Darnold says the NFC championship “means the world,” highlighting the emotional significance of Seattle’s comeback and his leadership after posting 346 yards and three TDs with no turnovers [3].

Jan 27, 2026 – The NFL unveils new accessibility measures for Super Bowl 60, including a tactile device that tracks the ball for blind fans and a proposal to use replay review for missed player‑safety penalties [6].

Jan 29, 2026 – Analysts note the Super Bowl features a rare coaching matchup: both Vrabel (Patriots) and Macdonald (Seahawks) are in their first or second seasons, only the fourth such occurrence since the 2008 Tomlin‑Whisenhunt game [7].

Jan 30, 2026 – BetMGM lists the Seahawks as 4½‑point favorites over the Patriots, reflecting market expectations ahead of the championship [6].

Jan 30, 2026 – The NFL confirms the halftime show will be produced by Apple Music, with Bad Bunny headlining and pre‑game performances by Charlie Puth (national anthem), Brandi Carlile (“America the Beautiful”) and Coco Jones (“Lift Every Voice and Sing”) [6].

Feb 2, 2026 – Former President Donald Trump declines to attend Super Bowl 60, calling the halftime acts “terrible” and “anti‑them” in a New York Post interview, while Turning Point USA announces an alternative Kid Rock halftime show [1].

Feb 2, 2026 – NBC projects the Super Bowl 60 audience could rival last year’s 127.7 million viewers, with UK coverage on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, Channel 5, Sky Sports and DAZN, underscoring the event’s global reach [1].

Feb 8, 2026 – Super Bowl 60 kicks off at 23:30 GMT (6:30 p.m. ET) at Levi’s Stadium, pitting the Patriots—seeking a record seventh Lombardi Trophy—against the Seahawks, who aim for their second championship, in a rematch of the 2015 game [1][5][9].