As Super Bowl LX approaches, the storylines stretch well beyond the X’s and O’s. While the spotlight naturally shines on the head coaches-Mike Vrabel on one sideline, Mike Macdonald on the other-there’s a quieter subplot unfolding beneath the surface: a handful of players on both rosters carry ties to not just each other, but to two of the NFL’s most storied franchises-the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks.
Between the active rosters, practice squads, and reserve lists, four players set to suit up on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium have worn both the Flying Elvis and the Seahawk. For a few of them, this game isn’t just about chasing a ring-it’s about coming full circle.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Eric Saubert, Tight End
Eric Saubert’s NFL journey reads like a tour of the league.
Drafted in the fifth round back in 2017 out of Drake-a school that hadn’t produced a draft pick in 34 years-Saubert has made stops with 11 different organizations. And yes, that includes a brief stint with the Patriots.
New England acquired Saubert in 2019 via a conditional pick, but his time in Foxborough was short-lived. He didn’t make it past final cuts that August.
Since then, he’s carved out a role as a reliable blocking tight end, logging 112 regular-season games and 24 starts across the league. His career stat line-51 catches, 420 yards, three touchdowns-doesn’t leap off the page, but his value has always been in the trenches and on special teams.
Now with Seattle, Saubert signed a one-year deal in March and earned an extension after returning from injured reserve in December. He even chipped in a clutch two-point conversion in overtime earlier this season. At 31, he’s still grinding, still contributing, and now, he’s on the doorstep of a Super Bowl appearance.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Jack Westover, Fullback
Jack Westover’s path to the Super Bowl has been anything but conventional.
Coming out of the University of Washington, he entered the league as an undrafted tight end and initially landed with the Seahawks. But after an injury settlement ended that stint, the Patriots came calling in October 2024, bringing him aboard the practice squad.
Since then, Westover has reinvented himself. Now wearing No. 37 and lining up as a fullback, he’s carved out a niche role in New England’s offense and special teams.
He’s appeared in every game this season, including the AFC title run, logging 312 offensive snaps and another 216 on special teams. He’s made four starts, caught two passes, and done the kind of dirty work that doesn’t show up in fantasy box scores but wins over coaches and teammates alike.
Marshall Lang, Tight End
Marshall Lang’s rookie year has been a whirlwind. The Northwestern product entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and spent the preseason with Seattle, catching three passes for 20 yards before being waived during final roster cuts.
From there, it’s been a back-and-forth dance. Lang joined New England’s practice squad in October, left for a brief stint back in Seattle in November, and then returned to Foxborough in December. He hasn’t cracked the active roster yet, but he’s stayed in the building, continued developing, and now finds himself one step away from a Super Bowl ring.
Ben Brown, Guard
Ben Brown has had to fight for everything in his NFL career.
After going undrafted out of Ole Miss, he signed with the Bengals but tore his biceps in his very first preseason game. That injury kept him sidelined for the entire 2022 season.
In 2023, he got a shot with the Seahawks, bouncing between the practice squad and active roster before being released in November. From there, he landed with the Raiders, and by the fall of 2024, the Patriots scooped him up off Vegas’ practice squad. He didn’t just join the team-he stepped right into the starting center role that same week.
Since then, Brown has become one of the most versatile linemen in New England’s rotation. He’s played all over the interior-left guard, right guard, center-and even lined up as a jumbo tight end. He’s made four starts this season and appeared in every game from Week 1 through the AFC Championship.
Final Thoughts
These aren’t the headline-makers.
They’re not the MVP candidates or the Pro Bowlers. But in a league where depth matters just as much as star power, players like Saubert, Westover, Lang, and Brown are the connective tissue that hold rosters together.
And now, they’ll all be on the field-or at least on the sideline-when the confetti falls at Levi’s Stadium.
From practice squads to prime time, their journeys are a reminder of how winding the road to the Super Bowl can be.