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The last time the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots played in the Super Bowl, it was defined by one of the NFL’s most infamous mistakes.
At the end of Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, Russell Wilson’s interception at the goal line changed the course of sports history, resurrecting the Patriots dynasty and costing Seattle a chance for back-to-back championships. Seattle didn’t have to pass. It was second down with 53 seconds left and Seattle had Marshawn Lynch in the backfield.
But Wilson attempted a slant pass to Ricardo Lockett, and Patriots rookie Malcom Butler jumped in front of it for the pick, tying the game for New England.
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Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Wilson reflected on the infamous moment in an interview with Pakinomist Digital ahead of the start of the 2025 season.
“I look at the whole collection of great moments and tough moments along the way. But I’ve had a lot of great moments,” Wilson recalled. “I’m always looking forward to the next moment. I think it’s always been my mentality to be able to look forward to the next play, the next moment… I think that’s the baseball in me… every pitch is a new pitch, a new day.”
Pakinomist Digital asked Wilson if he shared the experience of the mistake with his current New York Giants teammates, which included rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
SUPER BOWL LX: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GAME
Russell Wilson has a pass intercepted by Malcolm Butler late in the fourth quarter during Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
“They’ve been asking me a lot about my experiences in terms of all the highlights and all the great moments, and really our work habits on a daily basis,” Wilson responded.
Former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll took the blame for making the decision to punt on the infamous play. Wilson stood by the decision.
“I had no doubts about the play,” Wilson said at the time. “It looked open enough. … When I threw it, it was, ‘Touchdown. Second Super Bowl ring. Here we go.'”
The play has become a point of debate over the years, with some experts arguing that the decision to pass in that situation was the best decision.
But the historic impact of the play still lingers for the players, coaches and fans involved.
Wilson and Carroll never returned to the Super Bowl and faced uncertainty in their football futures. Carroll was fired as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders last month, and Wilson, now 37, spent the 2025 season mostly as a backup after Dart took over as the Giants’ starting quarterback.
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For the Patriots, it was just the first of three Super Bowls they won in the decade of the 2000s.
