Seahawks Kicker Earns Spotlight Performance in Underwhelming Super Bowl LX

Jason Myers (5) of the Seattle Seahawks kicks his fifth field goal of the game against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images/TNS)

How funny would it have been if 2026 was the first year in NFL history that a kicker won the Super Bowl MVP? Until the final quarter of this year’s game, it looked like a very real possibility in an otherwise very underwhelming Super Bowl. 

Until the fourth quarter with 13 minutes left, neither the Seahawks nor the Patriots had scored an offensive touchdown. Neither had even gotten the ball into the endzone for that matter. 

What was branded as a showdown between two of the NFL’s most explosive offenses turned into a slow, tedious contest that felt more like a preseason August game than the biggest, most watched stage in football. 

Between multiple drops from the Patriots’ receivers and the Seahawks unable to get consistent yardage, this Super Bowl was one to forget action wise.

The only consistent scoring from both teams came off the foot of Seahawks kicker Jason Myers, who quietly put together the most important performance of his career. Myers drilled 38-, 44-, and 51-yard field goals throughout the first three quarters, which accounted for all of Seattle’s points and gave them a slim but steady lead. Each kick felt more important than the last. 

By halftime, social media had already started entertaining the idea that Myers could walk away with the award that every player in professional football strives to achieve. It might have sounded ridiculous, but it was also hard to argue against it. 

You could argue Bad Bunny had more yards at halftime then the Patriots and Seahawks combined. 

The third quarter offered more of the same. Promising drives fumed out at the 30-yard line, and perfectly passed screen plays were dropped. Each time Seattle’s offense struggled, Myers went out on to the field with the calm attitude of practicing kicks in an empty practice facility.

Myers added a 47-yarder midway through the quarter, strengthening his unlikely MVP chances.

Meanwhile, the Patriots were putting on a clinic defensively, even though they struggled to respond offensively. Their lone points came from two field goals of their own, but even those looked strained. 

The defensive coordinators for both sides called masterclasses. Blitzes confused the quarterbacks. Corners blanketed wide receivers. 

If you are someone that appreciates a good defense, this was the game for you.

Then, finally with just over 13 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, a shift occurred. A special teams miscue by New England gave the Seahawks prime field position. A short completion followed by the longest run of the night suddenly got Seattle in the redzone. 

On third and goal, Sam Darnold found his tight end AJ Barner slipping through the back of the endzone for the first touchdown of the night. The stadium erupted, more so out of relief than excitement. 

The Patriots answered quickly with a touchdown of their own by Mack Hollins, but it proved to be too late as Seattle’s defense shut them down with a final fourth down stop. 

While Jason Myers didn’t make history, the real story of this game was ultimately Sam Darnold. Before this year, Darnold had bounced around from team to team, struggling to even be a starting quarterback. After signing with the Seahawks in 2025, he ultimately was finally able to win the big one on his fifth team. 

While the confetti fell, it was Kenneth Walker III that hoisted the coveted MVP trophy. But for three quarters, in a game that was desperate for a team to take control, it was the kicker that came through when he was needed.