USC Roots Run Deep in Super Bowl LX as Darnold Leads Seahawks Against Patriots
When the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots square off this Sunday in Super Bowl LX, it won’t just be a battle for the Lombardi Trophy - it’ll be a showcase for USC football’s enduring NFL legacy. Four Trojan alumni will suit up for Seattle, each trying to capture their first Super Bowl ring. And for the first time in history, a USC quarterback will be under center in the Big Game.
That quarterback? Sam Darnold - a player whose NFL journey has been anything but smooth, but who now finds himself at the helm of a Seahawks team playing for it all.
Darnold’s Comeback Story Hits the Biggest Stage
Darnold’s path to Super Bowl LX has been a winding one. After a stellar college career at USC, where he burst onto the scene in 2016 and led the Trojans to a Rose Bowl win, expectations were sky-high. His 2017 campaign only added to the hype - over 4,000 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and a Pac-12 title.
That résumé made him the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, landing with the New York Jets. But his time in New York was rocky.
In three seasons, he struggled with turnovers, throwing 39 interceptions and fumbling 20 times, while winning just 13 games. A change of scenery in Carolina didn’t shift the narrative much, and Darnold eventually found himself backing up in San Francisco - where he reached the Super Bowl, but never saw the field.
Then came 2024. Signed by the Minnesota Vikings to back up rookie JJ McCarthy, Darnold was thrust into the starting role after McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason.
What followed was a career renaissance. Darnold led the Vikings to 14 wins - the second-most in franchise history - earned his first Pro Bowl selection, and even picked up MVP votes.
That breakout year landed him a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks. And in his first season in Seattle, he’s delivered again - guiding the team to its first Super Bowl appearance in over a decade and earning another Pro Bowl nod. It’s a full-circle moment for a player once written off, now leading a franchise on football’s biggest stage.
USC’s Defensive DNA Powers the “Dark Side”
While Darnold commands the offense, three fellow Trojans are anchoring a Seahawks defense that’s earned a nickname of its own: the “Dark Side.” It’s a nod to the franchise’s defensive roots - think back to the “Legion of Boom” days - but this version has its own identity, and USC fingerprints are all over it.
Leonard Williams, now in his 11th NFL season, is the most seasoned of the group. A dominant force during his time at USC, Williams tallied 20 sacks in three seasons and helped the Trojans reach three bowl games.
Drafted sixth overall by the Jets in 2015, he eventually reunited with Darnold for a brief stint in New York before being traded to the Giants. In 2023, Seattle acquired him midseason, and he’s been a difference-maker ever since - earning Pro Bowl honors in back-to-back years and serving as a cornerstone of the Seahawks’ defensive front.
Then there’s Uchenna Nwosu, a relentless edge presence who made his name at USC as a disruptive linebacker. In college, he racked up 20.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks, including a standout senior season that saw him finish fourth in the Pac-12 in sacks.
Drafted by the Chargers in 2018, Nwosu spent four seasons in L.A. before signing with Seattle, where he’s become a key cog in the defense. This season, he notched seven sacks and 15 quarterback hits - a testament to his impact off the edge.
Over his eight-year career, he’s totaled 34.5 sacks and 97 QB hits, making him one of the league’s more underrated pass rushers.
Rounding out the Trojan trio is Brandon Pili, a nose tackle who’s taken a different route to the Super Bowl. A five-year player at USC, Pili’s college career was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and an Achilles injury, but he still managed to log 74 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.
Undrafted in 2023, he signed with the Miami Dolphins before being picked up by Seattle midseason. He’s not a starter, but he’s contributed in rotational snaps and forced a fumble this year - a valuable depth piece in the trenches.
Trojan Legacy on the Line
USC’s football tradition has long been woven into the fabric of the NFL, especially when it comes to Super Bowl appearances. The program ranks second all-time in players featured in the Super Bowl era and is tied for third-most in Super Bowl LX, alongside Michigan and behind only Alabama and LSU.
But for all the quarterbacks USC has sent to the NFL - from Matt Leinart to Mark Sanchez to the recently drafted Caleb Williams - Darnold is the first to start in a Super Bowl. That’s a milestone in itself, and one that adds another layer of significance to Sunday’s matchup.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. PT, as Darnold and his Trojan teammates look to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Seattle - and add another chapter to USC’s storied NFL legacy.