The writing was already on the wall. The Seattle Seahawks just had to make it official. Mike Macdonald’s squad walked into Levi’s Stadium as favorites against the New England Patriots. Backed by a defense many now refer to as the “Dark Side,” and powered by Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, Seattle finished the job and crowned itself a two-time Super Bowl champion. For the Patriots, though, as the dust settled and the sting of defeat set in, head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t shy away from calling out his team’s shortcomings.

“We just have to not let mistakes pile up. Can’t let one bad play turn into two bad plays, and being able to settle down and be better early on in drives,” the coach said during the post-game press conference. “That just wasn’t the case. We’d make a play here and stall. We’d have a good run and stall. Physical and mental stamina are required in these types of games.

“Nobody played good enough for us to win.”

On paper, the stage was set for two of the league’s best teams to collide. In reality, Seattle’s defense completely smothered quarterback Drake Maye and company. Right from the start, the Seahawks dictated terms, holding New England to a 3-0 scoreline after the first quarter. And before the crowd settled in for the halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny, kicker Jason Myers drilled two more field goals in the second quarter, sending Seattle into halftime with a 9-0 lead.

The third quarter didn’t change much. If anything, things got worse for New England. The Patriots managed just one first down in the entire quarter (it’s first since the opening frame), and after three quarters, Seattle still held a 12-0 cushion. That stretch summed it up: Maye was under constant pressure, scrambling for survival all night. The box score only reinforced that reality.

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The second-year quarterback and MVP runner-up wrapped up his 2025 campaign with a taxing final outing. Maye finished 27-of-43 for 295 yards and two touchdowns. But Seattle’s defense made sure every yard came at a cost, sacking him six times and forcing three turnovers. Linebacker Derick Hall forced the first turnover in the third quarter, before Uchenna Nwosu and Julian Love each added interceptions in the fourth.

On the other side, Walker did the rest of the damage. With Sam Darnold efficiently steering the offense (19-of-38 for 202 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and just one sack), Walker punished New England on the ground, rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries and setting the tone all night.

The Patriots didn’t get on the board until the fourth quarter, when Maye connected with Mack Hollins for a 35-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 19-7. By then, it was too little, too late. That score was followed by Nwosu and Love’s fourth-quarter interceptions, and when it was all said and done, the scoreboard told the full story: 29-13. Seahawks.

So, when Vrabel said his team didn’t do enough to win, it wasn’t just a coach speaking. It was reality.

New England failed to make a difference on either side of the ball. They were unable to protect Maye offensively and unable to generate pressure or contain Walker defensively. And after a painful loss for a franchise that waited years to return to the Super Bowl post-Tom Brady era, Vrabel still made sure to leave his players with a message meant for what comes next.

Head coach Mike Vrabel is still proud of his team

When Mike Vrabel returned to Foxborough, this time as an HC, he didn’t waste much time shaking things up. He oversaw a full roster reset and coaching overhaul, and the reasoning was straightforward. He was building a Super Bowl-caliber team from the ground up with the right culture. And to his credit, he did exactly that, putting together one of the league’s most complete rosters.

Still, that group ultimately fell short on the game’s biggest stage. And afterward, Vrabel was candid about the message he delivered to his players.

“I’m proud of everything that they did,” he said. “I’m disappointed, just like they are. Reminded them that we’re 307 days into what hopefully is a long, successful relationship and program, and it’s okay to be disappointed. We have to be disappointed and upset together. And I always tell them I’m appreciative of them. I’m thankful, I’m grateful that I get to coach them.

“Just like every year, somebody’s going to lose this game. And we have to remember what it feels like and make sure that it’s not repeated.”

With this group, Vrabel stood on the verge of Super Bowl history. Had the Patriots pulled it off, he would have become the first head coach to hoist the Lombardi Trophy both as a player and as a head coach with the same franchise. That milestone will have to wait.

New England came up short this time with a frustrating performance. But Vrabel and his team head into next season carrying both renewed optimism and the sting of this loss. The coach has become the heartbeat of the team, and saying they thrived under him would be an understatement.

He brought aggressiveness to their style and a culture of accountability throughout the team. So, they will look not to make the same mistakes next season.