At Super Bowl 60, the spotlight was supposed to shine on New England’s rookie quarterback, Drake Maye, making his first appearance on the game’s biggest stage. Instead, it was the Seattle Seahawks’ defense-nicknamed the “Dark Side”-that stole the show and left Maye with a night he won’t soon forget.
Seattle’s front seven came out swinging and never let up. They sacked Maye six times, hit him 11 more, and forced two critical turnovers that flipped the game’s momentum early and never gave it back.
From the opening whistle, it was clear the Seahawks weren’t just trying to win-they were trying to make a statement. And they did it by overwhelming the Patriots’ offensive line and rattling the young quarterback at every turn.
Maye, who had shown flashes of brilliance throughout the postseason, couldn’t find his rhythm. The Seahawks disguised coverages, brought pressure from every angle, and made life miserable in the pocket.
It wasn’t just the sacks-it was the constant harassment, the hurried throws, the missed timing with receivers. Every time Maye dropped back, it felt like Seattle was already in his lap.
To his credit, the Patriots’ defense came to play. They kept the game within reach for much of the night, doing their best to contain a balanced Seattle offense.
But without offensive support, their efforts were ultimately in vain. The Patriots once again fell short in the post-Brady era, remaining winless in Super Bowls without the legendary quarterback under center.
And yes, the internet had a field day with the fact that another “Drake” took an L at the Super Bowl. The name became a punchline, recycled endlessly across social media. Between Kendrick Lamar’s halftime diss of rapper Drake at last year’s Super Bowl and this year’s beatdown of Drake Maye, the running joke practically wrote itself.
Adding insult to injury, a certain high-profile celebrity gambler-who’s no stranger to flashy bets and casino promotions-dropped a cool $1 million on Maye and the Patriots to win. That ticket didn’t just lose-it burned up in spectacular fashion.
So while Drake Maye’s future in New England still holds promise, Super Bowl 60 was a harsh reminder of how steep the learning curve can be in the NFL-especially when you’re facing a defense as fast, physical, and relentless as Seattle’s “Dark Side.”