FOXBOROUGH, MA — The first game of the 2026 NFL season will be the same matchup as the final game of the 2025 season, with the New England Patriots facing the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL kickoff game on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
It will be almost seven months to the day – 213 days to be exact – from confetti falling at Levi’s Stadium in northern California after the Seahawks throttled the Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl 60.
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Now the Patriots will have to watch another celebration, and relive their own demise, with the Seahawks – bolstered by one of the NFL’s most electric stadium atmospheres and their fans, the “12s” – raising the second Super Bowl banner in franchise history.
Facing the sight is something for the Patriots to look forward to now that OTAs have begun, with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye saying the opener is a chance to inject extra motivation into training camp and the rest of the preseason program.
“Starting off with the bang like that, a chance to get an opponent that left a bad taste in our mouth,” Maye said. “So I think it’s something for us that’s going to really make us work.
“We’ve got to bring it week one on the road in a tough environment. They’re going to be hanging their banner, and that’s part of it. So I think it’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a tough task. It’ll be something for us to get some extra motivation and make training camp better.”
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Drake Maye watches Super Bowl tape
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald’s defense stymied Maye, who was sacked 6 times, threw 2 interceptions and lost a fumble. The tape is not pretty. In the rematch, consuming it is necessary.
“I think you definitely take a peek at it,” Maye said. “You know, for me, on the biggest stage and a big game, and I had a lot of plays I wish I had back. I definitely watched it, and at such a young point in my career where I can still learn so much.”
It was Maye’s first time going against Macdonald’s scheme, he noted. While watching the game back, he doesn’t have to watch every play. Learning from mistakes is part of Maye’s development and personality, though.
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“I think there’s definitely some parts that, maybe throws that I maybe skip, or now I want to watch that again,” he said.
He added: “I think it’s hard to flush.”
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Mike Vrabel’s career has taken him from standout player to head coach, with stops across multiple eras of the NFL.
See the moments that chart Vrabel’s path through the years and onto the sidelines.
Above, Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Billie Weiss, Getty Images)
1 / 18
See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Mike Vrabel’s career has taken him from standout player to head coach, with stops across multiple eras of the NFL.
See the moments that chart Vrabel’s path through the years and onto the sidelines.
Above, Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Billie Weiss, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Linebacker Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots celebrates with this son after defeating the Carolina Panthers 32-29 inSuper Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium on February 1, 2004, in Houston, Texas.
(Donald Miralle, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots poses for his 2005 NFL headshot at photo day in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(NFL Photos, NFL via Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Billie Weiss, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Line Backer Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots standing on the field looking on during the game against the Buffalo Bills at the Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Bills 21-11.
(Jamie Squire, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots reacts during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 21, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Linebacker Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots catches a two yard touchdown in the third quarter against cornerback Lito Sheppard #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX at Alltel Stadium on February 6, 2005, in Jacksonville, Florida.
(Harry How, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
New England Patriots line backer Mike Vrabel celebrates his touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX 06 February 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, FL. The Patriots are leading 24-14 in the fourth quarter.
(ROBERTO SCHMIDT, AFP via Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Tony Fisher #40 of the Green Bay Packers runs the ball against Mike Vrabel #50 the New England Patriots during the second quarter on October 13, 2002, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots 28-10.
(Douglas McFadd, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots celebrates with Stefon Diggs #8 after a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Elsa, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots looks on during training camp at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center on August 13, 2025, in Eagan, Minnesota.
(David Berding, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots reacts against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on September 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida.
(Rich Storry, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots speaks with Drake Maye #10 prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on October 05, 2025, in Orchard Park, New York.
(Timothy T Ludwig, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Former player Mike Vrabel speaks during a New England Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony during halftime of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Maddie Meyer, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans looks on in the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on November 19, 2023, in Jacksonville, Florida.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel runs on the field before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on January 07, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.
(Wesley Hitt, Getty Images)
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Will Levis #8 of the Tennessee Titans talks with Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on January 07, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans looks during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Nissan Stadium on September 17, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee.
(Johnnie Izquierdo, Getty Images)
Patriots defensive lineman Milton Williams laughed at the mention of the quick turnaround after playing the Seahawks. But he admitted to waking up in the middle of the night thinking about elements of the Super Bowl loss.
“You always just think about the plays you missed, the plays that you could’ve capitalized on, they just stick with you forever,” Williams said, “but it’s fuel for the next day.”
Playing in Seattle – without considering the Seahawks are raising a Super Bowl banner that night – would be a tough assignment no matter the time of year or context, coach Mike Vrabel said.
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“I think that we’ll eventually be ready for the challenge,” he said. “We’re clearly not ready for it yet. I don’t think anybody is, but that’s what we’ll build to.”
Handling difficult environments is something the Patriots will have to do all season – such as a Week 15 “Monday Night Football” game on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs. Starting with the Seahawks will “test us early,” Vrabel said.
“That’ll be something that we’ll focus on through training camp,” he said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Drake Maye, Patriots looking forward to Seahawks rematch in Week 1: ‘Going to be fun’
