Malcolm Butler 2.0? Who could be the hero of Super Bowl LX for Patriots or Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots are set to do battle in Super Bowl LX, and if this latest clash for the Lombardi Trophy is anything like what we saw back in Super Bowl XLIX, we’re in for a treat. More than that, if we are in for an instant classic, it will likely feature someone emerging from relative obscurity and etching himself into franchise lore, just as Malcolm Butler did in that previous matchup. 

While we remember Butler now as a corner who made the game-altering interception at the goal-line to help snatch a title away from Seattle and into the hands of the Patriots, he was a virtual unknown before that. The undrafted free agent out of West Alabama had started to flash over the course of that rookie season, but vaulted himself into the history books with that pick. 

Using Butler’s heroics in that game as the jumping-off point, let’s identify three players from the current versions of the Patriots and Seahawks as possibly candidates to somewhat follow in his footsteps. For this exercise, we’ll dig a bit deeper down the depth chart in a similar vein to Butler in some instances, while highlighting a specific/underrated piece to a more notable player’s game that could prove vital in his team coming out on top. 

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks selected Barner in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Michigan and has slowly started to become a key outlet for Sam Darnold in the passing game. While Jaxon Smith-Njigba dominates the target share in Seattle, Barner was second on the team with 52 receptions and receiving touchdowns during the regular season, and third in receiving yards. Barner has had a muted playoffs thus far, catching two passes for 13 yards, but the Patriots are susceptible to tight ends at times, providing this as an opportunity for Barner to shine on the biggest stage. 

Emmanwori has been a key cog in Seattle’s secondary, but his status for this game was thrown into question by an ankle injury he suffered this week in practice. Despite the injury, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said he expects Emmanwori to play and he has no injury designation, which sets the stage for him become a Super Bowl hero. The defensive back has been one of the best rookies in his class this season, and is coming off a stellar NFC Championship where he broke up three passes and piled up five tackles against the Rams. If he can play at that level while gutting out this ankle injury en route to a Seahawks win, he’ll be remembered in Seattle sports history forever. 

When you think of the Seahawks pass-catching group, you start with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, and it takes a bit to get to Jake Bobo. After all, the 2023 undrafted free agent out of UCLA had just two catches during the regular season. However, in limited opportunity this postseason, Bobo has answered the call, catching two of three targets, including a 17-yard touchdown in the NFC Championship. One play could make the difference in Super Bowl LX, and if Bobo continues to make the most of those limited targets, he could come out of obscurity and into the limelight with one of the more consequential plays of the game. On top of that, Bobo is a Massachusetts native, growing up in North Andover and attending Belmont Hill School, which adds even more spice to a potential impact in this game against his hometown Patriots. 

New England Patriots

Stevenson is one of the more notable players that we’ll feature on this list, but we’re going to identify a specific area of his game that could make him a Super Bowl LX hero for New England. While Stevenson has taken the lion’s share of carries out of the backfield, he could possibly do most of his damage (or at least make the biggest impact) as a receiver. The veteran is a capable pass catcher, hauling in 32 of his 37 targets this season for 345 yards and two touchdowns. In the playoffs, Stevenson has added seven catches on 10 targets for 86 yards. This season, the Seahawks have surrendered the most receptions to running backs and the sixth-most receiving yards, so look for the Patriots to exploit that weakness with Stevenson, the receiver. A stellar performance in the Super Bowl would also complete the redemption arc for Stevenson, who had folks calling for him to be benched after a two-fumble game against the Steelers back in Week 3. 

Hunter Henry is the top dog in the Patriots tight end room, but Austin Hooper has been a solid secondary option for New England. He’s typically only received a couple of targets per game, but they have moved the chains when he hauls them in, averaging 12.5 yards per reception this season. He now faces a Seahawks defense that has allowed tight ends to produce, giving up the fifth-most receptions and sixth-most receiving yards to the position group this season. Moreover, this Super Bowl is a homecoming for Hooper, who was born in San Mateo and attended Stanford. There’s a storyline there for the hometown kid to make the most of his Super Bowl moment. 

Tonga has been one of the more underrated free agent signings the Patriots made this offseason. He inked a mere one-year, $2.7 million deal back in March, but has been a heavily-involved figure for the organization on both sides of the ball. Primarily, he’s worked along the interior of the defensive line and has been a key force this postseason, tallying six tackles, two quarterback hits, and a sack. The Patriots have also lined Tonga up at tight end/fullback this season. Could Josh McDaniels cook up something special for him at the goal-line, catching Seattle off guard? If so, it’d instantly propel him to a Boston sports icon, especially if the Patriots come out victorious.  

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