Defensive battle, NE Ohio nods, Bad Bunny: How was NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl 60?

CLEVELAND, Ohio – It wasn’t exactly a barnburner as the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots faced off in Super Bowl 60, as each team’s defense stepped up.

NBC brought in more than 80 cameras and 150 microphones to cover the game. If you’re a viewer at home, that’s good. If you’re a bettor and you wagered on the over (45.5), you probably were sick before halftime.

Note: For occasional nationally televised games, we analyze how networks do with coverage. We’re on the lookout for potential bias, smart graphics, quips, quotes and more. Here’s our look at Super Bowl 60 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.

Here’s a look at how NBC did with its coverage of Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California:

The announcers

Mike Tirico (play by play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung (sideline reporters) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst).

Storyline / overview

Tirico calls a solid game and Collinsworth offers decent analysis without too much yuck-yuck. It wasn’t a scorching high-scoring game, but it remained mostly close. The quarterbacks are always hyped, but it became clear early on each defense seemed up to the challenge. By the time the third quarter wound down, with Seattle up 12-0, it was a surprise either announcer didn’t tout a team defense as MVP. The Patriots, we heard in the third quarter, had not had a snap inside the Seattle 43-yard line. That changed, but overall it was a defensive game.

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Did you catch …

… Coco Jones singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing?” She’s Donovan Mitchell’s fiancée.

… the bumper to the game coming out of commercials was a collection of circuits, reflective of the Silicon Valley, where the game was held.

… bumper music featuring Huey Lewis and the News? The band formed in the Bay Area. But after a Patriots’ fourth-quarter touchdown, Boston’s “Piece of Mind” played.

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In the air

Pregame, members of four Navy tactical squadrons conducted a unified flyover above the stadium with members of the Air Force. Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Martin, a native of Lyndhurst, was among those supporting the flyover, the Navy said.

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Celeb spotting

Caught on camera at the game: Roger Federer, Jon Bon Jovi, Jay-Z, Adam Sandler and Hailey and Justin Bieber. Not to mention the much-hyped halftime show of Bad Bunny with appearances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.

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Sights and sounds

• With 31 seconds remaining in the first half, NBC showed a graphic detailing wind patterns. Notoriously tricky in Northern California, and appropriate as Seattle angled for a field goal.

• With nine NFL games to be played in other countries next season, it was no surprise NBC aired snippets of watch parties around the world, including Cologne, Germany; Melbourne, Australia and London.

The numbers game

• With 3:15 to go in the second quarter, Tirico noted there has never been a penalty-free half in the Super Bowl. Six seconds later: Flag, false start, New England tackle Will Campbell.

• Maye was sacked six times.

• Tirico noted the game is a reflection of the season, with eight of the top 10 scoring defenses making the playoffs.

• Before the first play of the game a graphic showed Sam Darnold’s 30 wins since 2024 are the most by a starting quarterback. (He was with Minnesota in 2024.)

• As the Patriots began their first series, a graphic flashed showing that Drake Maye is the 2nd youngest quarterback starter in Super Bowl behind Dan Marino.

• The Patriots had 30 players in their first year in the league – most ever for a Super Bowl team.

• Seattle became the first Super Bowl-winning team to get through the postseason without any turnovers.

Collinsworth quips

• “There’s been nobody able to cover him one-on-one this year.” – Collinsworth on Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who played at Ohio State.

• “A pick-six might decide this thing.” – Collinsworth, late in the first quarter.

• “This is getting wild, haymakers being thrown by both defenses.” – Collinsworth.

• “I’ve just got to say what I’m thinking, Mike. They (Patriots) are playing this game a little bit like they did against Denver a week ago in the snowstorm, but this defense from Seattle is having the same impact as the snow.” – Collinsworth (though the AFC Championship was two weeks ago).

• “He’s throwing it before he has to, and they are missing opportunities.” – Collinsworth on Maye.

• “I got nothing.” – Collinsworth on Maye’s horrible pass that was intercepted in the fourth quarter.

Hyperbole of the night

• If you can’t block a four-man rush, “you have almost no chance to win a football game. This has been one of the most brilliant performances I have ever seen in the National Football League.” – Collinsworth after the Seahawks sacked Maye late in the third quarter and recovered the fumble.

Hits …

After New England’s K’Lavon Chaisson pressured Darnold, Collinsworth put the blame on the quarterback, not the offensive line. It’s a good point, not to always blame the O line on every pass-protection breakdown. He also noted the Patriots switched to a six-man front in the fourth because they wanted to force Seattle to pass.

… and misses

A fan ran on the field with 12:54 to go in the fourth quarter, and – per usual – the network didn’t show it. It’s part of what is happening during coverage, and while some will argue showing it will glorify the yahoos, an argument can be made to air it and let viewers have their own opinion.

This and that, Northeast Ohio-style

• AJ Barner – who attended Aurora High School, had a very solid game, with four catches on four targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. Seahawks receiver Smith-Njigba tallied four catches for 27 yards. He left in the second half briefly under concussion protocol but returned.

• Jason Garrett, one of four halftime analysts and former NFL quarterback and coach, attended University School.

Next up

The NFL Draft is Thursday to Saturday, April 23-25, on the North Shore near Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.

Bonus

For those who played Super Bowl squares …

First quarter: Seahawks 3, Patriots 0 (3-0)

Second quarter: Seahawks 9, Patriots 0 (9-0)

Third quarter: Seahawks 2, Patriots 0 (12-0)

Final: Seahawks 9, Patriots 3 (29-13)