As we get closer to Super Bowl 60, few matchups feel more unexpected - and more intriguing - than Sam Darnold versus Drake Maye. It’s a quarterback showdown that nobody saw coming at the start of the season, but here we are: two signal-callers with very different journeys, now standing on football’s biggest stage. And if you ask former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman, this is exactly the kind of battle that makes the game so compelling.
Sherman, who knows a thing or two about high-stakes football, is all-in on the drama unfolding between these two QBs. For Darnold, it’s a shot at redemption - a chance to not only rewrite his NFL narrative but to deliver the Seattle Seahawks their first Lombardi Trophy since the Legion of Boom era. For Maye, it’s about ushering in a new era of New England Patriots football - one that steps out from the towering shadows of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
“This is going to be a dogfight,” Sherman said on his podcast Wednesday. And he wasn’t just tossing around clichés. He sees real grit and talent on both sides, and he believes Darnold is playing at a level high enough to win it all - as long as the Seahawks’ defense holds up its end of the bargain.
“Sam Darnold is playing at a high enough level to win a Super Bowl,” Sherman emphasized. “If your defense plays like it needs to, there should be no expectation for them to not go in this game and win.”
That’s high praise from a guy who helped define what elite defensive play looks like in a Super Bowl. But Sherman wasn’t just focused on the quarterbacks. He’s also got his eye on the chess match brewing between the coaching staffs - specifically what Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has up his sleeve.
“I cannot wait to see the things that Klint Kubiak draws up and builds into this offense to get Jaxon Smith-Njigba open,” Sherman said. “I think they put Christian Gonzalez on him.”
That matchup could be one of the most pivotal of the night. Smith-Njigba has quietly become one of the Seahawks’ most versatile weapons, and Kubiak has made a habit of moving him around the formation like a queen on the chessboard. But Gonzalez, the Patriots’ top corner, has the kind of length, speed, and instincts to shadow him wherever he goes - whether it’s in motion, out of the slot, or lined up wide.
Still, Sherman doesn’t think it’ll be just Gonzalez in coverage. He pointed to Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones as key pieces for New England’s secondary.
Both bring different skill sets - Davis with his physicality and press coverage, Jones with his quickness and ability to close space. The Patriots will likely need all hands on deck to contain the Seahawks’ passing game.
Sherman’s overall message? Don’t expect a blowout.
This one’s going to be tight. He’s seen what it takes to win a Super Bowl, and he knows how small the margin for error can be - especially when pride, talent, and a championship are all on the line.
It won’t be a repeat of the 2014 classic he played in, but Sherman senses that this version of Seahawks vs. Patriots could be just as memorable.
Different names, different era - but the stakes? As high as ever.