Super Bowl 2026: Patriots, Seahawks with Carolina ties heading into big matchup

The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks will battle in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

And while the big matchup is a huge deal for a pair of notable franchises, it’s also a big opportunity for some standouts from North Carolina and South Carolina to shine.

While Myers Park High and University of North Carolina grad Drake Maye is at the forefront of the Carolina group, there are quite a few others from the area that are worth keeping an eye on during the big game next month.

New England Patriots

• QB Drake Maye: The Huntersville, N.C. native graduated from Myers Park High in Charlotte. He then was a standout at the University of North Carolina. The Patriots made Maye the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
• C Garrett Bradbury: The Charlotte native graduated from Charlotte Christian School. He went on to a college career at N.C. State. The Minnesota Vikings selected Bradbury in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The lineman signed with the Patriots during free agency in March.
• WR Mack Hollins: The former Philadelphia Eagles draft pick played college ball at North Carolina. Like Bradbury, Hollins is in his first year with the Patriots.
• G Jared Wilson: The rookie lineman is from Clemmons, N.C. The third-round pick started 13 regular-season games in 2025.
• OLB K’Lavon Chassion: The former first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars signed with the Carolina Panthers during the 2024 offseason. However, he was released by Carolina ahead of Week 1 that year. He had 7.5 sacks in his first regular season with the Patriots.
• OLB Harold Landry: The pass rusher was born in Spring Lake, N.C. He graduated from Pine Forest High in Fayetteville before going on to a college career at Boston College. Landry was a second-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2018.
• WR John Jiles: The practice-squad receiver grew up in Wake Forest, N.C. He went to Wake Forest High.
• DB John Saunders Jr.: The practice-squad safety grew up in High Point, N.C. and went to High Point Christian School.
• CB Marcellas Dial: The Woodruff, S.C., native is currently on injured reserve. The 2024 sixth-round pick finished up his college career at South Carolina.
• DE Cory Durden: The veteran defensive end played the final two years of his college career at N.C. State after a three-year stint at Florida State.
• Ryan Cowden, VP of Player Personnel: Cowden’s career began with the Panthers in 2000. He worked his way up the Panthers’ scouting department before reaching the role of assistant director of college scouting in 2014. He left the organization in 2015 for a director of player personnel job with the Titans. Cowden went college at Wofford.
• Thomas Brown, TEs coach/passing game coordinator: Brown served as former Panthers head coach Frank Reich’s offensive coordinator during the 2023 season.
• Ben McAdoo, senior defensive assistant: McAdoo served as former Panthers head coach Matt Rhule’s offensive coordinator in 2022.

Seattle Seahawks

• QB Sam Darnold: The former third overall pick spent two seasons with the Panthers (2021 to 2022) under Rhule and interim head coach Steve Wilks. Darnold has since played for the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings and the Seahawks.
• FB Robbie Ouzts: The Rock Hill, S.C. native had a strong college career at Alabama. He joined the Seahawks as a fifth-round pick this year.
• WR Dareke Young: The Raleigh, N.C. native graduated from Middle Creek High in Cary, N.C. He was a seventh-round pick of the Seahawks in 2022.
• DT Jarran Reed: The Goldsboro, N.C. native graduated from Goldsboro High School.
• DE Demarcus Lawrence: The Aiken, S.C. native graduated from Silver Bluff High. The five-time Pro Bowl selection finished his college career at Boise State before being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
• LB Ernest Jones: The Seahawks’ defensive leader was a standout for the South Carolina Gamecocks during his college career.
• LB Drake Thomas: A Wake Forest, N.C. native, Thomas graduated from Heritage High before heading to N.C. State for college ball.
• S Nick Emmanwori: The Greensboro, N.C., native graduated from Irmo High School in Irmo, S.C. He went on to have a standout career at South Carolina before being selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
• LB Chazz Surratt: The Lincolnton, N.C., native is currently on injured reserve. He went to East Lincoln High in Denver, N.C., where he was Parade magazine’s player of the year as a quarterback, before going to UNC for college ball and eventually making the switch from QB to LB.
• LB Jamie Sheriff: The practice-squad linebacker played one game for the Panthers in 2024.
• WR/RB Velus Jones: Like Sheriff, Jones is on the Seahawks’ practice squad. And also like Sheriff, Jones played for the Panthers in 2024.
• CB Shemar Jean-Charles: The practice-squad cornerback played college ball at Appalachian State.
• CB Shaquill Griffin: Griffin, currently on the Seahawks’ practice squad, played for Panthers in 2023.
• Jake Peetz, pass game coordinator: Peetz was an assistant coach for the Panthers during the Rhule era. He served as the running backs coach in 2019 and the quarterbacks coach in 2020.

This story was originally published January 26, 2026 at 6:30 AM.