Super Bowl LX Matchup Watch: Anthony Bradford Faces His Biggest Test Yet
When the lights go up for Super Bowl LX, the spotlight won’t just be on the quarterbacks or the playmakers out wide-it’ll be shining right into the trenches. And for Seattle Seahawks right guard Anthony Bradford, that spotlight may feel more like a heat lamp.
Bradford, a fourth-round pick out of LSU in 2023, has seen his workload ramp up dramatically in his second full season. After logging 578 snaps in 2024, he more than doubled that in 2025, playing over 1,000 snaps. But with the increased reps has come increased scrutiny-and not all of it flattering.
Let’s be real: Bradford’s 2025 tape is a mixed bag. He’s given up four sacks, six quarterback hits, and 25 hurries so far this season.
And the film doesn’t always do him any favors. At times, he looks like the kind of lineman who’s just trying to survive the down, rather than control it.
Seahawks fans have noticed, and so have opposing defenses.
Now, Bradford is staring down the most daunting assignment of his young career: trying to hold the line against a New England Patriots interior defensive front that’s been downright nasty this postseason.
The Patriots’ Interior Pressure Machine
New England’s defensive tackle rotation is a problem-full stop. Christian Barmore and Milton Williams anchor the middle, with Cory Durden and Khyiris Tonga rotating in to keep the pressure relentless. It’s a unit that doesn’t just win-it overwhelms.
Durden, in particular, has been a postseason wrecking ball. He’s generated 13 pressures on just 53 pass-rushing snaps in the playoffs.
That’s not just disruptive-that’s surgical. And Williams?
He’s been living in the backfield on quick-game passes all season, racking up three sacks and 22 pressures on quarterback drops of three steps or fewer. That kind of burst and timing is a nightmare for any guard, let alone one still finding his footing.
Then there’s Barmore, who’s having a career year. He’s posted three solo sacks and 27 pressures on those same quick-drop plays, making it a pick-your-poison situation for opposing offensive lines.
If you slide protection one way, the other side feasts. And if you don’t adjust?
Good luck.
Seattle’s Interior Line: Two Solid Anchors and a Question Mark
The Seahawks aren’t without answers up front. Rookie left guard Grey Zabel has been a revelation-playing with the poise and awareness of a seasoned vet. At center, Jalen Sundell brings the kind of core strength and leverage that helps neutralize bigger interior defenders.
But on the right side, Bradford remains the wild card. His performance has been uneven, and while there are flashes of power and potential, the consistency just hasn’t been there. Against a Patriots front that thrives on interior disruption, that’s a concern.
Head coach Mike Macdonald has stood by Bradford throughout the season, pointing to the good reps on tape and emphasizing fundamentals as the path forward.
“He’s doing some good things,” Macdonald said back in December. “There’s some really good plays on there and some not-so-good plays.
Some of those are quick losses, and we can finish those plays better. Let’s keep doubling down on the fundamentals.”
It’s a fair stance. Coaches don’t develop players by tearing them down in public.
And Bradford, for all his struggles, has continued to win the right guard job in practice and games. But the leash might be shorter than it’s been all year.
The Haynes Factor
Christian Haynes, a 2024 third-round pick out of UConn, is the next man up. He’s only logged 38 snaps this season due to a pectoral injury that’s lingered since the preseason, but he’s seen some late-game action recently-against the Vikings in Week 13 and again in the divisional round blowout of the 49ers.
Haynes and Bradford share a similar profile: both are physical, downhill blockers who can drive defenders off the ball-but both can also get caught off-balance against quicker interior rushers. Haynes might be a touch better at processing stunts and line games, which New England loves to throw at opposing lines. But with such a small sample size, that’s more of a hunch than a proven edge.
Still, if Bradford struggles early, don’t be surprised if Seattle considers a change. The Super Bowl isn’t the time to wait and hope a young lineman settles in. It’s about survival-and seizing your shot.
One Matchup, Big Implications
The Patriots don’t have a ton of clear-cut advantages in this Super Bowl, which says more about how well-rounded the Seahawks are than anything else. But this interior matchup is one area where New England can tilt the field.
If Bradford holds his own, Seattle’s offense can stay on schedule and keep the Patriots’ pressure packages from dictating tempo. But if he’s overwhelmed? That opens the door for Barmore, Williams, and Durden to wreck the game from the inside out.
It’s a tall task for a young guard still finding his way. But that’s what the Super Bowl does-it puts your flaws under a microscope and dares you to rise above them.
For Anthony Bradford, the challenge is clear. Now it’s time to see if he can meet the moment.