NFL Should Put Seahawks vs. Patriots Super Bowl Rematch in Week 1

The Seattle Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champions, so they will have the opportunity to play in Week 1 at home to start the new season.

The Seahawks have nine opponents they could possibly face in the first week of the season, but none may be more intriguing than the New England Patriots, who lost to them in Super Bowl LX. The league should place the Seahawks and Patriots on national television in the 2026 campaign, but there is something intriguing about making them the first Thursday Night Football matchup of the season.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Patriots vs. Seahawks Would Be Great Week 1 Matchup

There isn't always the luxury of having a Super Bowl rematch the following season, but this year offers that opportunity. It would give the Patriots a chance to quiet the naysayers after losing in the Super Bowl, while the Seahawks get a chance to play a really good team on their schedule early in this season.

There are other potential opponents for this game that would make sense for the league. The Kansas City Chiefs will make their way to Lumen Field at some point during the year, but Patrick Mahomes may still be recovering from a torn ACL, so the NFL schedule makers might not want to have that game so early in the season.

The Dallas Cowboys are also a likely candidate to be the Week 1 opponent for the Seahawks. However, the league already gave the Cowboys a Week 1 matchup against the Super Bowl champion this past season when they played the Philadelphia Eagles. It seems unlikely that the league would do that to them in consecutive years.

The Los Angeles Rams would also be a perfect Week 1 opponent for the team; however, it has already been revealed that the Rams will play the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 in Melbourne, Australia. That game could also become the first game of the season, which would break the tradition of the Super Bowl champions starting the following year. Football fans will just have to wait for the NFC championship rematch later in the season.

Ultimately, based on a number of factors, the Patriots might be the ideal opponent for the Seahawks to start the season against.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Patriots vs. Seahawks Would Be Great Week 1 Matchup

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