Patriots, Seahawks stars thank God as they head to Super Bowl

Quarterback Drake Maye of the New England Patriots and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks are thanking God after helping their teams advance to Super Bowl LX.

In a postgame interview conducted after the Patriots beat the Denver Broncos 10-7 in Sunday’s American Football Conference Championship game, Maye proclaimed “I thank the Good Lord” when reacting to his team’s advancement to the Super Bowl. 

Hours later, after the Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in Sunday’s National Football Conference Championship, Smith-Njigba, who recorded 153 receiving yards and a touchdown in the contest, offered a similar reaction in a postgame interview.

“I just want to give all glory to God,” he said. “Without Him … I’m nothing.”

Smith-Njigba expressed gratitude for “what He has had on this team and in this city and myself,” reiterating, “I just want to give Him all the glory.”

Smith-Nijgba once again thanked God in a postgame press conference. 

“I want to give all glory to God,” he stressed. “Win or lose, draw, I wouldn’t be here without Him.” 

Both Maye and Smith-Njigba have touted their Christian faith in the past.

Maye, who the Patriots drafted as the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of North Carolina, released a statement months earlier thanking “the Good Lord for the ways in which he continues to bless my life.”

Maye includes the word “Jesus” in the biography on his Instagram page, along with a cross emoji. 

After the Patriots defeated the Baltimore Ravens in a regular-season game on Dec. 21, Maye told reporters at a press conference how he wanted to “thank the Good Lord” for the team’s victory. He cited his athletic success and the “position I’m in my life” as evidence that when he chooses to “stay strong in [his] faith,” “good things happen.” 

The 23-year-old Smith-Njigba, who is in his third season, amassed over 1,700 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns during the 2025 regular season, becoming a unanimous first-team All-Pro. His Christian faith figures prominently on his X profile, with his biography identifying the athlete as a “follower of Christ” and the pinned post stating: “I’m a Seahawk! Thank you Jesus!” 

Following his team’s victory in last weekend’s playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, Smith-Njigba took to X to exclaim “AGTGOD!!,” shorthand for “all glory to God.” 

Super Bowl LX will take place on Sunday, Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. While the Patriots won six with legendary quarterback Tom Brady, this is their first appearance in the big game since they defeated the Los Angeles Rams in 2019’s Super Bowl LIII. If the Patriots win Super Bowl LX, the franchise will become the all-time leader in Super Bowl victories. They are currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers with six. 

This is the Seahawks’ first appearance in a Super Bowl since they lost to the Patriots in 2015’s Super Bowl XLIX. The Seahawks’ last Super Bowl victory came in 2014 under second-year quarterback Russell Wilson. 

Neither Maye nor Smith-Njigba has appeared in a Super Bowl before.