Sports
Seahawks ride 'Dark Side' D, Kenneth Walker to Super Bowl LX victory
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy on the podium after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The “Dark Side” was not going to let history repeat itself. Instead, the Seattle Seahawks’ self-nicknamed defense more than returned the favor.
Eleven years after New England beat Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX with a clinching interception in the end zone, the Seahawks forced a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers to send Seattle to a 29-13 win over the Patriots on Sunday in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium.
It is the second Super Bowl title in franchise history — 12 years after the Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for 135 yards to earn Most Valuable Player honors, Jason Myers connected on all five field-goal attempts and quarterback Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass while Seattle’s offense didn’t turn the ball over.
But it was the “Dark Side” that provided the real fireworks, setting the tone from the outset and closing the door when New England threatened to serve Seattle a second heartbreaking defeat on the game’s biggest stage.
The Seahawks, who led the NFL in allowing an average of 17.2 points per game during the regular season, held the Patriots to 51 total yards in the first half and off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter. And when New England twice appeared to have generated significant momentum, twice the Seahawks’ defense responded with turnovers.
The final blow came with the Patriots trying to rally from a 22-7 deficit with 4:27 remaining in the game. Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon hit Patriots quarterback Drake Maye on a blitz, popping the ball in the air. It was intercepted by linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who returned it 45 yards for his first career touchdown, all but cementing the second Super Bowl title in Seahawks history.
The final tally for Seattle’s defense was six sacks, eight tackles for loss, three forced turnovers and the touchdown. Three quarterback hits came courtesy of Witherspoon, while Derick Hall and Byron Murphy II each recorded a pair of sacks.
“They just made a decision that they’re going to play a certain way,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, who also serves as the defensive play-caller, said in accepting the Lombardi Trophy. “They lived up to the ‘Dark Side’ today. It’s going to go down in the history books.
“We love our players, but they made it happen. They made it come to life, and we won the game.”
Sam Darnold threw for 202 yards and a touchdown, and while he led the offense to only one touchdown, he also completed Seattle’s three-game playoff run without throwing an interception.
“I have to give a shout out. Our offensive line, our tight ends, our receivers and, of course, the running backs for everything they did tonight. It’s special in the run game,” Darnold said. “But the defense!”
Three of Myers’ field goals came in the first half, when Seattle took a 9-0 lead to the locker room. However, the Seahawks left the Patriots in the game by failing to reach the end zone despite two trips inside the red zone.
With less than 100 yards in total offense and just 12:58 left in the game, the Patriots quickly capitalized in a break in the action when a fan streaked across the field. After the fan was wrestled to the ground and removed by several security personnel, Maye hit Mack Hollins with a 24-yard completion on the next play.
It was the biggest play of the game for New England’s offense to that point, and Maye immediately went back to the well. He hit Hollins again on a perfectly-thrown 35-yard touchdown strike to the left side of the end zone, beating tight coverage from Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen.
The Patriots appeared to have fully switched the momentum when they forced a punt and Maye marched them to their 44-yard line on the ensuing drive with a 16-yard scramble and a 7-yard toss to Kyle Williams. However, he threw an ill-advised pass into coverage on the next play that was intercepted by Seahawks safety Julian Love.
Love returned it to the Patriots’ 38-yard line. Six plays later, Myers connected on his fifth field goal to extend Seattle’s lead to 22-7.
New England quickly moved the ball back into Seattle territory. But that’s when the Seahawks’ defense struck the decisive blow with Nwosu’s touchdown.
“I’d like to have it back,” Maye said. “I’d like to go back to the beginning and redo it. So many plays that decide and change the game. What was it, 19-7 or 22-7, I had the fumble or throw for a touchdown? It comes down to who makes the plays and who doesn’t.”
Maye added that he required a pain-killing injection in his shoulder in order to play, despite saying that the shoulder was fine all week leading up to game day. A Seattle defense that racked up 11 quarterback hits and forced three turnovers certainly didn’t help.
Patriots rookie left tackle Will Campbell was charged with 16 pressures allowed, per NFL Next Gen Stats, a single-game high for any player this season, including the regular season.
“We can sit here and try to put it on one guy,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said. “You’ll be disappointed. That’ll never happen. It starts with us. The coaching staff making sure that we’re doing our part and, obviously, we’ve got to be able to protect. And we do protect we have to progress through, get guys open, help the quarterback.”
New England’s initial first down of the second half didn’t come until Seattle was flagged for defensive holding with 1:23 left in the third quarter. It was also the Seahawks’ first penalty of the game.
The Seahawks opened the scoring on a 33-yard field goal by Myers on their opening drive. Seattle took the kickoff and moved the ball 51 yards in just over three minutes, with Darnold sharp on completions to tight end A.J. Barner and Cooper Kupp in tight coverage, but the drive stalled on the Patriots’ 14-yard line.
That proved to be the only scoring of the opening quarter. New England penetrated Seattle territory on both of its first two drives, only to suffer three negative plays — including a pair of sacks — that resulted in two punts. The Seahawks managed only one more first down in a pair of drives after the field goal.
NOTES: Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion after making a reception in the third quarter, but returned in the fourth quarter and made a catch on Seattle’s final drive. … Seahawks rookie defensive tackle Rylie Mills, who entered the game with one career solo tackle, recorded his first NFL sack when he dropped Maye for a 10-yard loss in the second quarter. Mills suffered a torn ACL toward the end of his 2024 season at Notre Dame, causing him to slide to the fifth round of the 2025 draft. Mills was activated by the Seahawks in November but played only a modest role in the line rotation. … The first penalty of the game wasn’t called until 3:09 remaining in the second quarter, when Patriots left tackle Will Campbell was flagged for a false start.
–Derek Harper, Field Level Media
Sports
US wins 2nd straight team figure skating gold over Japan, Italy
Gold medalists Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, Ellie Kam, Danny O’Shea, Madison Chock, Evan Bates and Alysa Liu of the United States celebrate on the podium after winning the team figure skating event MILAN, Italy — “Quad God” Ilia Malinin vaulted the United States above Japan and to the top of the podium at the Milan Cortina Games on Sunday to cap a thrilling team competition that saw host Italy seize bronze.
With the U.S. and Japan tied going into the men’s free skate, the 21-year-old Malinin met the moment even though he wasn’t at his best to lead the U.S. to a second successive Olympic team title.
“I’m proud of myself,” Malinin told reporters.
“I’m proud of my team for all the work they’ve put into this event, without each other it wouldn’t have happened.”
Malinin had been expected to perform seven quads in his free skate but ended up attempting only five, and even those were not flawless as he stumbled out of his quad Lutz. He turned two planned quads – including the quad Axel – into triples.
But he salvaged his program with a huge quad toeloop followed up by a quad Salchow, both in combinations.
He also landed a backflip on one leg to the delight of a packed crowd, which included a large number of vocal Americans at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
His score of 200.03 was almost 40 points less than his season’s best but still good enough to defeat Japan’s Shun Sato, who skated cleanly after Malinin but was unable to match his rival’s technical ability.
“Honestly, the moment has still not settled in yet. I still haven’t really figured out that I’m wearing a gold medal from the Olympics,” Malinin said.
“It’s honestly just such an unreal feeling. But overall, I’m just so excited. This brings me so much joy and energy, and of course, the confidence and the motivation leading up to my individual event.”
The U.S. finished with 69 points, one more than Japan, while Italy took bronze with 60 points. Malinin remains the runaway favorite to win gold in the individual event at his first Olympic Games.
The U.S. team included the veteran ice dancing duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the pair of Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, and Alysa Liu.
Chock and Bates got the chance to savor the gold medal on the night unlike in Beijing 2022, where a failed drug test by a Russian skater changed the team results and the U.S. athletes did not receive their medals until more than two years later.
JAPAN FIGHT BACK
Japan came into the final day of the team competition trailing the U.S. by five points but their gold medal hopes were given new life with stunning performances from Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara in the pairs and Kaori Sakamoto in the women’s free skate — leaving them tied with the U.S heading into the final men’s free skate.
The Japanese pairs world champions opened with a triple twist lift and Miura was left punching the air in delight as the duo closed their program with Kihara lifting her above him into their final pose — a performance that earned them a season’s best 155.55 from the judges.
“We were trying to aim for about 145 or a little bit higher, and when we saw that it was 155, there was so much joy… we were overwhelmed with emotions,” a teary-eyed Miura told reporters following the rousing performance which left Japan trailing the U.S. by just two points with two segments to go.
Japan pulled into a tie with the U.S. when Sakamoto delivered a spellbinding performance that earned her top place in the women’s free skate with 148.62 points.
American Amber Glenn had to settle for third behind Sakamoto and Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova after she endured two botched landings at the start of her routine – a result which wiped out the United States’ lead heading into men’s free skate.
“I just physically didn’t feel great,” Glenn said.
“My legs were feeling heavy, I was tired. I just didn’t feel my best.”
U.S. hopes of defending their gold medal from Beijing then rested on the shoulders of Malinin, who made up for his disappointing short program on Saturday by winning the point America needed to top the podium.
Japan held their heads high after pushing the heavily favored U.S. team to the limit.
“Everybody has done a gold-medal performance,” Sakamoto, a three-time world champion, said.
“So it really doesn’t matter what color medal we get.”
ITALY SHINE
In the battle for bronze, Italy’s Matteo Rizzo delivered the performance of his life to keep his team ahead of Canada and Georgia after solid skates by Lara Naki Gutmann and the duo of Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii.
The Italian team shouted “bronze! bronze!” as Rizzo went through the final moments of his performance, drawing a huge roar from the crowd as he finished and knelt with his forehead on the ground, hiding his tears.
Rizzo smiled and slid on his knees over to his delirious teammates in his box when it was clear Italy would be taking home its first Olympic medal in figure skating since 2014.
“I have no words to describe the feeling of staying on the Olympic ice with the crowd cheering while you’re skating the best program of your life.
“I couldn’t hear the music anymore, I could just hear the screaming of the people, the screaming of my teammates.”
Paris Olympic tennis gold medalist Novak Djokovic, NBA Hall of Famer Pau Gasol, and eight-time Olympic medallist in short track American Apolo Ohno were among the notable names in attendance at the arena on the outskirts of Milan.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
Sports
'Feels like yesterday': Time flies for Games veteran Sidney Crosby
Feb 23, 2014; Sochi, RUSSIA; Canada forward Sidney Crosby (87) prepares for the face-off against Sweden in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games at Bolshoy Ice Dome. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images MILAN, Italy — Sidney Crosby waited 12 years to be back at the Olympics but the Canada captain said on Sunday that he sometimes felt as though no time had passed, as he stepped onto the ice at the Milan Cortina Games for the first time.
Future Hall of Famer Crosby is in the minority as a returning Olympian in Milan Cortina, where the NHL is allowing its players to compete in the Games for the first time since 2014, casting a massive spotlight on the men’s tournament.
“There’s some days that it feels like 12 (years) and other days it feels like yesterday,” said Crosby, the architect of Canada’s “golden goal” in 2010, who also helped the team to the top of the podium in 2014.
“There’s been a lot of anticipation ever since we found out we were going back to the Olympics. … So it’s just great to be with the guys, get out there and get to work.”
Crosby and his teammates hopped off the plane and just hours later onto the ice for their first practice at Santagiulia Arena on Sunday, swamped by reporters with little time to waste ahead of Wednesday’s tournament kickoff.
Led by the Pittsburgh Penguins center Crosby, the Canadian team are favored after beating rivals United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last year.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, another marquee name on the Canadians’ wildly accomplished roster, praised Crosby’s leadership as he prepared for a “surreal” Olympic debut.
“He’s been here and done that and played in the biggest moments and succeeded,” McDavid told reporters. “Just a calming presence … a guy that doesn’t get too high or too low.”
Canada begins its Olympic campaign with a Group A game against Czech Republic on Thursday.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
Sports
Indiana rolling while Oregon hopes to avoid 10th straight loss
Indiana’s Lamar Wilkerson (3) celebrates after the Indiana versus Wisconsin men’s basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. Winners of four of its last five games, Indiana is out for more as it hosts struggling Oregon on Monday night in Bloomington, Ind.
The Hoosiers (16-8, 7-6 Big Ten) are coming off a 78-77 overtime win over visiting Wisconsin in which guard Lamar Wilkerson scored his team’s final 10 points, including all six in OT. Wilkerson led the way with 25 points total.
Wilkerson’s 20.4 points per game leads Indiana in scoring this season. He and teammate Tucker DeVries (13.8 ppg) have guided the Hoosiers’ offensive surge.
Wilkerson is averaging 23.2 points per game in Big Ten play — most of anyone in the conference — and has scored at least 19 points in five straight games. He is second in the Big Ten in made 3-pointers per game, with 3.3 for all contests.
Indiana head coach Darian DeVries has a long history with his counterpart on Monday, Oregon head coach Dana Altman. DeVries was a graduate manager (1998-2001) and assistant coach for nine seasons (2001-10) on Altman’s Creighton staff.
“The guys have been doing a much better job of finding creases to get in there, finish at the rim, get fouled, and then get some kick-out threes,” Darian DeVries said of his team.
Oregon (8-15, 1-11) has lost nine straight games, though the Ducks took No. 12 Purdue down to the wire on the road on Saturday. The game marked the return of big man Nate Bittle from an injury that cost him five games, and Bittle finished with 23 points.
The Ducks are missing another top scorer, guard Jackson Shelstad, who may not return this season due to injury. But the 68-64 loss to Purdue showed there is still some life in the team, even though this season will be the worst in Altman’s tenure as head coach.
“We know where we’re at,” Altman said, per the Eugene (Ore.) Register-Guard. “We know the losing streak is there, but just talked to the guys, we’ve got to focus on getting better and someday it’ll happen for us.”
–Field Level Media
Super Bowl 2026 Gatorade shower color: What it was and why people want to know
US wins 2nd straight team figure skating gold over Japan, Italy
