4 Takeaways From Super Bowl Opening Night: Pats Embrace Underdog Role; Darnold Opens Up

Opening night for Super Bowl LX kicked off the final days of the 2025 season, as the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots — who battle Sunday for the Lombardi Trophy — did the media rounds Monday at the San Jose Convention Center ahead of the big game. Here are my takeaways. 1. "Somebody has to (be). I don’t think we dislike it." Those were Patriots coach Mike Vrabel’s words when asked how he felt about New England being viewed universally as the underdog in Super Bowl LX. It’s a status the Pats have thrived on all year. Most league observers didn’t peg either of these teams to be on this stage, but especially New England, which won just four games in back-to-back seasons before 2025. Even as the Patriots enjoyed massive success in their first regular season with Vrabel, they had many skeptics because of their weak strength of schedule. Then, in the playoffs, many league observers were more eager to talk about the defenses of the teams they faced (e.g. the Texans, Broncos) than their own, which took a big leap forward in the team’s run to the Super Bowl. "It’s not something that’s ever affected us, I don’t think," Vrabel said of being an underdog. "I don’t think we set out to necessarily worry about those types of things." 2. Darnold on the mindset that turned around his career The most inspirational story at this year’s Super Bowl is unquestionably Sam Darnold’s rise. Labeled a bust following a failed tenure as the Jets quarterback at the start of his career, the former No. 3 overall pick has become one of the league’s best passers on his fifth team. Darnold, now a two-time Pro Bowler, had the game of his life in the NFC Championship Game, throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns. The eight-year pro talked about his ability to endure adversity on opening night. "I think the only thing that matters is if you believe in yourself. That’s really it," Darnold said, with a slight chuckle.  "I always believed in myself. I knew that I could do this at a high level and that was really it. That’s what kept me going. I knew at some point an opportunity would arise. "But even if it didn’t," he added, "I knew that I did everything I could do to become a better player year in and year out." 3. Gonzalez praises his star quarterback Patriots quarterback Drake Maye showed promise as a rookie, but his ascension into an MVP finalist in Year 2 has been remarkable. The numbers are there to prove it — a league-high 72.0% completion rate for 4,394 yards and 35 total touchdowns (31 passing, four rushing) with 11 turnovers and a 113.5 passer rating in the regular season — but Patriots star cornerback Christian Gonzalez sees leadership as an area where Maye has made the biggest strides. "He’s definitely found his voice in the locker room. We go as he goes. Everybody knows what he can do," Gonzalez said. "He’s the ultimate competitor. He wants to learn. He comes in and asks, 'Why?’ He’s done that since his rookie year last year and has definitely paid off and helped. We love that he’s on our side." 4. Insight on Raiders’ coach-to-be Klint Kubiak While it can’t become official until after the Super Bowl, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is expected to become the next head coach of the Raiders. During his podium session, Darnold offered insight on Kubiak, who led a Seattle offense that ranked third in scoring (28.4 points per game) and eighth in total offense (351.4 yards per game) during the regular season. "He’s unbelievable," said Darnold, who was also with Kubiak in San Francisco in 2023. "He wakes up at insane hours. He gets to the facility at 4-4:30 in the morning, and he’s there later than anyone. He’s a grinder. He loves football. He’s very honest, and he’s very forthcoming with his players, which myself and a lot of the guys really appreciate about him." Those words are surely music to the ears of the Raiders, who are looking for a culture reset after one of the worst seasons in franchise history under one-and-done head coach Pete Carroll. In Las Vegas, Kubiak will have young offensive cornerstones to work with in star tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty. The Raiders are also expected to use the No. 1 overall pick on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.