TEAM NOTES

• Patriots open on primetime for 12th time.
• Patriots play in third Super Bowl rematch in the first week of the season.
• TE Eli Raridon's first reception goes for a TD.
• K Andy Borregales has now made all five of his career 50-yard field goals.

PATRIOTS OPENED THE SEASON ON PRIME TIME FOR THE 12TH TIME
New England's season started in prime time for the 12th time in team history and for the first time since the 2019 season when they opened at home against Pittsburgh in a Sunday Night Football game. The NFL has started the season one other time on a Wednesday night, which was in 2012 when the New York Giants hosted the Dallas Cowboys. That game was moved to Wednesday due to the Democratic National Convention. In addition to the 2012 game, there have been three other Wednesday games in modern times with two Christmas games on a Wednesday in 2024, and then in 2020, a Week 12 game between Baltimore and Pittsburgh that was moved to Wednesday due to COVID postponements.

REMATCH OF THE SUPER BOWL IN FIRST WEEK  
The Patriots and Seahawks met in the season-opener after meeting in Super Bowl LX last February. It is the 12th time in history that the Super Bowl teams met in a game the following season and the third time that the matchup takes place in Week 1.

PATRIOTS HAD 11 ROOKIES ON OPENING DAY ROSTER
Of the 24 new players on the 53-man roster, 11 of those players are rookies, including eight 2026 draft picks and three rookie free agents – TE Tanner Arkin, CB Channing Canada and LB Erick Hunter.

PATRIOTS HELD SEATTLE SCORELESS IN THE FIRST HALF
The Patriots held Seattle to zero points in the first half, the first time the team did not allow a point in a first half since the first game of the 2024 season when the Patriots turned a 10-0 halftime lead at Cincinnati (9/8) into a 16-10 victory.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

A.J. BROWN MAKES HIS DEBUT  
A.J. Brown made his debut for the Patriots and became just the second player to record 1,000 yards receiving and then join a team that went to the Super Bowl the year before. Brown registered 1,003 yards in 2025 with Philadelphia before being traded to the Patriots on June 1, 2026. The only other player to record 1,000 yards the year prior to joining a team coming off a Super Bowl was WR Brandin Cooks, when he had 1,173 receiving yards with New Orleans in 2016 before being traded to the Patriots on March 10, 2017.

BROWN HAS FIRST RECEPTION WITH THE PATRIOTS 
Brown's first reception with the Patriots was a 7-yard reception from QB Drake Maye in the first quarter.

RARIDON IS THE 13TH ROOKIE TO SCORE A TOUCHDOWN ON KICKOFF WEEKEND  
2026 third-round draft pick TE Eli Raridon's first career reception was a 2-yard touchdown pass from QB Drake Maye in the second quarter. He is the 13th Patriots rookie to catch a touchdown pass on kickoff weekend.

RARIDON IS THE 11TH PATRIOT TO SCORE ON HIS FIRST CAREER-RECEPTION 
Raridon is the 11th Patriots player to score on his first career reception since 1990. He had only 3 touchdowns during his three-year career at Notre Dame and did not have any touchdowns in 2025.

BORREGALES HAS MADE ALL FIVE OF HIS CAREER 50-YARD FIELD GOALS
K Andy Borregales connected on a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter and has now made all five of his career 50-yard field goals. Borregales made all four of his 50-plus field goal attempts in 2025 as a rookie. The Patriots record for most consecutive 50-plus field goals is eight by Stephen Gostkowski (2013-15). The NFL record for most consecutive 50-yard field goals to start a career is Branon Aubrey with Dallas, who made 16 straight 50-yard field goals (2023-24).

SECOND-ROUND LB GABE JACAS HAS FIRST CAREER SACK
2026 second-round draft pick LB Gabe Jacas recorded his first NFL sack when he dropped QB Drew Lock for a 7-yard loss in the second quarter. MOSES STILL GOING STRONG Patriots T Morgan Moses enters the 2026 season at age 35 and is one of five current offensive linemen that are at least 35 years old. He joins T Trent Williams of San Francisco (38), T Lan Johnson of Philadelphia (36), T David Quessenberry of the L.A. Rams (46) and current teammate OL Greg Van Roten (36).

DRE'MONT JONES RECORDS FIRST SACK WITH THE PATRIOTS ON KEY THIRD DOWN
LB Dre'Mont Jones recorded his first sack with New England when he dropped Seattle QB Sam Darnold on a third-and-6 situation for a 5-yard loss to end the drive.

LARISON PLAYS IN HIS FIRST NFL GAME
RB Lan Larison caught an 11-yard pass from QB Drake Maye in the second quarter for his first NFL reception. The reception came on his first play on offense, and Larison was also used as a kickoff returner in the game. He was elevated from the practice squad prior to the game. He finished with 2 receptions for 9 yards and 2 kickoff returns for 49 yards.

2026 SIXTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK LB NAMDI OBIAZOR HAD 3 SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES 
2026 sixth-round draft pick LB Namdi Obiazor had 3 special teams tackles.

LINEUP NOTES

NEW FACES  
Twenty of the 24 new players on the 2026 53-man roster that were not on the team on opening day played against Seattle, including six 2026 draft picks and two rookie free agents.
• 2026 draft picks – T Caleb Lomu (first round), LB Gabe Jacas (second round), TE Eli Raridon (third round), T Dametrious Crownover (sixth round), LB Namdi Obiazor (sixth round) and LB Quintayvious Hutchins (seventh round)  
• Rookie free agents –TE Tanner Arkin and CB Channing Canada
• First-Year- RB Corey Kiner
• Veteran free agents – WR A.J. Brown, S Kevin Byard III, WR Romeo Doubs, FB Reggie Gilliam, LB Dre'Mont Jones, TE Cameron Latu, LB Darius Muasau, S Jaylen Reed, OL Greg Van Roten, G Alijah Vera-Tucker and DT Leonard Taylor III, who joined New England's practice squad in October.

*In addition, two players were brought up from the practice squad and saw action – RB Lan Larison and P Mitch Wishnowsky. Larison made his NFL debut after spending the 2025 season on injured reserve. Wishnowsky was signed to the practice squad after Bryce Baringer was placed on injured reserve. Three of Wishnowsky's four punts landed inside the 20-yard line.
*OL Jared Wilson made his first NFL start at center after he started in 13 games and all four postseason games at left guard during his rookie season. He started at center during his college career at Georgia.
*S Dell Pettus was in the starting lineup in a three-safety set. It was his second career start. He started in a three-safety set vs. Miami on Oct. 6, 2024 during his rookie season.