Patriots and Seahawks open NFL season in Super Bowl rematch
Seattle will host New England at Lumen Field as both teams begin the regular season with key personnel questions and a championship rematch.
The New England Patriots will visit the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle on 9 September 2026 at 8:20 p.m. ET, opening the NFL regular season. Fox Sports describes the fixture as a rematch of Super Bowl LX, which Seattle reportedly won against New England last season.
The Seahawks enter the opener after reportedly closing the previous season on a 10-game winning streak. New England will rely on an offence led by quarterback Drake Maye, who Fox Sports reports had the NFL’s best completion rate in 2025 at 72 per cent.
TreVeyon Henderson is reported as ruled out for the Patriots, with Rhamondre Stevenson expected to assume a significant workload from the backfield. The source identifies Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and New England cornerback Christian Gonzalez as central players to watch.
Smith-Njigba recorded 119 receptions, 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season, according to Fox Sports. Gonzalez recorded seven pass break-ups and one interception across four playoff games and has signed a reported four-year, US$135 million extension.
Seattle receiver Dareke Young is listed as questionable with a hamstring issue. Fox Sports’ supplied report is truncated, and player availability may change before kick-off.
