Lead
Santa Clara, Calif. — On Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, Super Bowl LX will feature the New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. Patriots captains Robert Spillane (ankle) and Harold Landry III (knee) were listed with question marks during the week but are officially active for the title game. New England’s game-day inactives include WR Efton Chism III, OLB Bradyn Swinson, OT Marcus Bryant, CB Kobee Minor, G Caedan Wallace and TE C.J. Dippre; QB Tommy DeVito is the emergency third quarterback. Overall, the Patriots appear largely at full strength for the championship.
Key Takeaways
- Robert Spillane and Harold Landry III are both active for Super Bowl LX after carrying questionable tags during the week.
- Spillane leads the Patriots with 23 run stuffs this season and practiced in a limited fashion during the final sessions at Stanford.
- Landry has been managing a knee issue since Week 6, missed the AFC Championship Game, and has a 27.4% snap rate across New England’s two playoff wins.
- Seattle ranks first in the NFL in rush percentage (48.7%) and sits 30th in pass rate over expected, a reflection of a run-first approach led by RB Kenneth Walker (256 playoff yards, four TDs so far).
- Third-down tendencies favor New England in long-yardage: Seattle converts just 16.8% on third-and-long (31st), while the Patriots get off the field on those downs 15.4% of the time (league best).
- With Landry limited or absent in the AFC title game, Anfernee Jennings and Elijah Ponder combined for six pressures and three run stuffs, showing New England has depth on the edge.
- New England elevated practice-squad RB D’Ernest Johnson for the game; Efton Chism III is inactive, so kickoff-return duties likely fall to Johnson and rookie WR Kyle Williams, with RB TreVeyon Henderson as a possible option.
Background
The Patriots advanced to Super Bowl LX after a win in the AFC Championship Game two weeks ago, a game that produced injuries and roster management decisions ahead of the title tilt. Robert Spillane left that AFC title contest in the first quarter with an ankle injury but had two weeks for recovery and limited practice reps in the team’s final sessions at Stanford University. Spillane’s availability matters because he is a primary run-stuffing linebacker and the team’s on-field communicator, roles that stabilize defensive assignments.
Harold Landry III has managed a lingering knee issue since sustaining an injury scare in Week 6 during the win over the Saints. He missed the AFC Championship Game and two late regular-season contests to preserve his health for the postseason; when active in the playoffs he logged a limited role (27.4% of snaps). Head coach Mike Vrabel and the staff have balanced rest and limited usage to keep Landry available for critical downs while protecting his recovery.
Main Event
On game day the official roster lists Spillane and Landry as active contributors for the Patriots’ defensive unit. Spillane returned to limited practice this week after the AFC Championship ankle injury, and his presence restores New England’s top run-stuffing linebacker to the field. How many snaps either captain will play remains a strategic decision tied to game flow, matchup planning and in-game assessment of their physical responses.
Seattle’s offense emphasizes outside zone runs inside a West Coast scheme, which increases the importance of gap discipline and run fits from linebackers and edge defenders. New England’s plan will likely focus on forcing Seattle into obvious passing scenarios, where the Seahawks have struggled on third-and-long (16.8% conversion rate). If the Patriots can limit early-down rushing gains, they can tilt downs and distances in their favor.
Without Landry last week, New England leaned on edge personnel such as Anfernee Jennings and Elijah Ponder, who combined for six pressures and three run stuffs in the AFC title game. That production suggests the Patriots have reliable rotation pieces to fill Landry’s snaps if his role is limited. Offensively, New England reaches the game with no listed offensive injuries, a full complement of skill players around QB Drake Maye and a focus on offensive line performance against Seattle’s front.
Analysis & Implications
Spillane’s return matters beyond a single tackle stat; his 23 run stuffs this season anchor the Patriots’ ability to defend inside runs and short-yardage situations. Against a Seahawks scheme that runs 48.7% of the time, containing Kenneth Walker and forcing third-and-long opportunities are central to New England’s defensive win plan. Spillane’s communication on the field also helps coordinate assignments and limit cutback lanes.
Landry’s activation is more conditional: his leadership and pass-rush skill are valuable, but his knee management means New England will likely stagger his snaps and rely on situational packages. If Landry can contribute on third downs and in pass-rush subpackages, he will add pressure to a Seattle offensive line that must balance run blocking with protection for play-action passes. If limited, the continued emergence of Jennings and Ponder preserves the Patriots’ edge presence.
Offensively, New England’s ability to maintain a balanced attack hinges on the offensive line giving Drake Maye time to work downfield and on run-blocking to keep Seattle from dictating early downs. Seattle ranks high in run rate but is vulnerable in long-yardage situations; the Patriots can exploit this by mixing effective early-down run defense with play-action and timely deep shots against a secondary that will be tested more if down-and-distance slips away from the Seahawks.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Patriots / Player | Seahawks / League |
|---|---|---|
| Spillane run stuffs | 23 | — |
| Seattle rush percentage | — | 48.7% |
| Third-and-long conversion | Patriots: get-off rate 15.4% | Seahawks: convert 16.8% |
The table highlights the matchup focal points: Spillane’s run-stuffing total, Seattle’s high rush rate and both teams’ third-and-long tendencies. These numbers suggest New England’s primary defensive lever is run containment to push Seattle into passing situations where the Patriots excel at getting off the field. Conversely, if Seattle sustains early drives on the ground, New England will face more play-action challenges and tempo pressure.
Reactions & Quotes
Team roster announcements confirmed the actives and inactives shortly before the game, a procedural release that finalizes who is eligible to play. That release clarifies that both linebackers will be available, but it does not specify snap counts or role definitions for the game.
Robert Spillane and Harold Landry III are listed as active on the Patriots’ game-day roster for Super Bowl LX.
New England Patriots (official roster release)
Analysts and league observers have repeatedly pointed to the run-pass balance as the decisive tactical battleground for this matchup. With Seattle leaning heavily on the ground game, the Patriots’ choice of personnel on early downs will determine whether they force Seattle into lower-percentage passing situations.
Limiting Seattle’s run success and creating third-and-long looks will be essential to New England’s defensive game plan.
League analyst (stat-driven preview)
On special teams, roster moves and elevations were noted by the team; those decisions affect return duties and depth in the backfield. The elevation of D’Ernest Johnson signals New England’s contingency planning for returns and ball security.
Efton Chism III is inactive; the team elevated RB D’Ernest Johnson to the active roster for Super Bowl LX.
New England Patriots (official transaction)
Unconfirmed
- Exact snap counts for Spillane and Landry in Super Bowl LX were not released in the pregame roster note and remain to be confirmed during the game.
- Whether TreVeyon Henderson will be reinserted as a kickoff return option is not officially confirmed; teams often wait until game-time decisions to announce returners.
Bottom Line
Both Robert Spillane and Harold Landry III being active is a meaningful development for New England’s defensive outlook in Super Bowl LX: Spillane restores the Patriots’ top run-stuffing presence, while Landry’s availability provides leadership and situational pass-rush options. However, activation does not equate to a full snap load; both players’ usage will depend on in-game assessments and health status.
The matchup still tilts on run-defense execution versus Seattle’s ground-first approach. If New England can limit early rushing success and generate third-and-long scenarios, its statistical advantages in long-yardage defense could decide the contest. Conversely, if Seattle sustains drives on the ground, the Patriots will need younger rotation players to maintain pressure and gap integrity to prevent Walker and company from controlling the clock.