Super Bowl 60: Three unsung heroes for Patriots, Seahawks

• Jalen Sundell is anchoring the Seahawks' line from the middle: Sundell has made 15 starts at center this season after playing just 57 snaps in 2024, and his 73.5 PFF overall grade since Week 7 ranks 10th among qualified centers.

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Estimated Reading Time: 5minutes

Any team that makes a Super Bowl appearance has its share of stars. Top quarterbacks, explosive wide receivers and dynamic pass rushers, for example, generate headlines all season while other players on thrive in less noticeable roles.

Here are three players from the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks who are unsung heroes amid special seasons for their respective teams.

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New England Patriots

LB Christian Elliss

Elliss’ season-long numbers, including a 65.1 PFF overall grade, may not jump off the page, but they were dragged down by a slow start. Since Week 6, his 78.5 PFF overall grade ranks seventh among qualified linebackers. While he at times yielded snaps to Jack Gibbens down the stretch, Elliss has continued to prove himself valuable, particularly on passing downs.

Coverage was a problem for Elliss early in the season, but he rebounded with a 76.4 PFF coverage grade since Week 6 that ranks sixth among qualified linebackers. During that time, he broke up four passes and forced two fumbles, including a crucial one from Jarrett Stidham that led to a Patriots touchdown in the AFC Championship game. Elliss’ increased comfort in coverage and ability to wreak havoc as a blitzer give New England a true chess piece in its front seven.

DI Cory Durden

One of the keys to the Patriots' defense is their ability to generate interior pressure. Their star defensive tackles, Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, both rank among the top 10 defensive tackles in pressures. However, those two can’t play every snap, which allows others to disrupt quarterbacks, as well.

The best player among those backups has been Cory Durden, who leads the team and ranks third among qualified defensive tackles with an 89.2 PFF pass rush grade. While the third-year man out of North Carolina State hasn’t been credited with a sack this season, he’s been collapsing pockets with his strength all year. Durden’s 18.8% pass-rush win rate trails only the Titans‘ Jeffery Simmons among qualified defensive tackles, and he has tallied 13 of his 30 pressures across the Patriots’ three postseason games.

T Thayer Munford Jr.

Munford is a former seventh-round pick who spent three seasons with the Raiders. He isn’t a starter for the Patriots, but he has found himself playing a valuable role as the team’s sixth offensive lineman. Ninety-four of his 142 snaps, all within the past eight games, have come at tight end. As a result of his efforts, he has earned a respectable 67.9 PFF overall grade this season.

Munford’s presence as a respectable sixth blocker has made a major impact on New England’s run game down the stretch. Since Week 13, the Patriots are averaging 6.2 yards per carry when Munford is lined up as a tight end. Opponents have generally responded to these heavy formations almost exclusively with their base defense, which allows the Patriots the flexibility to throw the ball when needed, such as on Drake Maye’s lone touchdown pass against the Chargers in the wild-card round.

Seattle Seahawks

C Jalen Sundell

So much attention in Seattle goes to 2025 first-round pick Grey Zabel, who immediately became the Seahawks’ starting left guard and continues to improve down the stretch. However, his former North Dakota State teammate, Jalen Sundell, deserves recognition for a solid season, as well.

Sundell has made 15 starts at center this season after playing just 57 snaps in 2024. After an understandably slow start, Sundell owns a 73.5 PFF overall grade since Week 7, which ranks 10th among qualified centers. During that nine-game stretch — which includes time missed due to injury — Sundell has allowed just 10 pressures, seven of which came across two starts against the formidable Rams.

He’ll find himself in the spotlight against New England’s elite interior pass rush in the Super Bowl, but he’s so far proven he’s up to the task.

LB Drake Thomas

Thomas played a grand total of 42 snaps across his first two seasons in Seattle. Like New England’s Cory Durden, he is a third-year player out of North Carolina State who has gotten a chance to shine this season. His production and chemistry with the rest of Seattle’s linebacker unit are a big reason for his team’s success.

Thomas was inserted into the starting lineup early in the season in place of Tyrice Knight. With Seattle playing less base defense than any other team, only one of them could garner significant playing time. Since Week 6, Thomas has earned a 78.9 PFF overall grade and an 83.3 PFF run-defense grade, both of which rank among the top 12 qualified linebackers in the NFL.

Thomas’ emergence alongside a healthy Nick Emmanwori has created one of the most fearsome second-level units in the league.

Special Teams

One reason the Seahawks have been able to gain marginal advantages in several games is their outstanding special teams play. Punter Michael Dickson is in the midst of leading the NFL in PFF punting grade for the second consecutive year while ranking among the league leaders in average hangtime. Kicker Jason Myers ranks 10th in PFF field-goal grade, having hit all 57 of his extra points and having missed just four of his 39 field goals inside 50 yards.

Of course, the flashiest addition to Seattle’s special teams units is returner Rashid Shaheed, who has returned three kicks for touchdowns. The team’s coverage units deserve a ton of credit, as well. When returning kickoffs, opponents are starting just shy of their own 28-yard line on average, which is the best of any kickoff coverage unit by nearly a yard and a half. The Seahawks‘ ability to dominate across the board on special teams is a big reason they find themselves on the cusp of a championship.