Seahawks host Patriots in 2026 NFL opener; Darnold out — SkimNews
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- The 2026 NFL regular season opened Wednesday night with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Lumen Field in Seattle.
- The matchup marked the 30th edition of a Wednesday night NFL game, a rare midweek scheduling slot.
- The Patriots entered looking to avenge their Super Bowl loss, having been held scoreless through three quarters in a 29-13 defeat to Seattle in their last meeting.
- New England ranked as the league's No. 2 scoring offense heading into the season opener.
- Sam Darnold injured his hip and was ruled out of the season opener, with Drew Lock taking over at quarterback for Seattle.
Why it matters: With Darnold sidelined, backup Drew Lock now starts against a Patriots team that ranked as the league's No. 2 scoring offense — an unexpected twist from the planned Super Bowl LX rematch narrative and a major blow to Seattle's hopes of repeating last season's three-quarter shutout dominance.
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