Why are the Patriots and Seahawks wearing ‘USA 250’ patches on their Super Bowl jerseys?

It all comes down to this.

The 2025 NFL season will culminate in a contest between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks to determine who will win Super Bowl LX.

Getty

Each year, the two featured teams don a Super Bowl logo patch on their jerseys, and this year is no different.

But for this year only the Patriots and Seahawks will also sport a second, one-off special patch.

The NFL has decided to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States with a special ‘USA 250’ patch adding the “American 250” markings on the sidelines, game balls and coin tosses throughout Week 18 of the regular season and the playoffs.

There are also plans for the league to continue to mark the anniversary at the 2026 NFL Draft.

The NFL are not the only sports organization to partner with America250 – an officially nonpartisan commission chartered by Congress in 2016.

U.S. Soccer, the USOPC, and the PGA Championship have also partnered with America250.

Fifty years ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys wore commemorative patches in Super Bowl X to recognize the 200th anniversary of the U.S.

The 250th anniversary patch was first spotted on social media on Wednesday when former Patriots safety and three-time champion Devin McCourty posted an image on his Instagram story of rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson.

Wearing the Pats all-white uniform for the big game in Santa Clara on February 8, the photo also officially confirmed New England’s colors for the game – a choice the Patriots got to make due to being the designated ‘home team’.

Seahawks will wear additional patch

With the Patriots opting for the all-white look, the Seahawks will take to the field at Levi’s Stadium – the home of the San Francisco 49ers – in their all-navy home threads.

But the Seattle roster will also have an additional patch on their jerseys.

Throughout the entire 2025 campaign, the Hawks have worn a “50” patch on their jersey to commemorate 50 years of Seahawks football.

The patch carefully incorporated various elements of their history, including the “EST 1976” and adding 12 feathers at the bottom of the patch as a homage to their fans known as the “12s.”

It is quite fitting that the Seahawks reach their first Super Bowl since 2015 – which also happened to be against the Patriots – in their 50th year of existence.

It has been an enthralling season for head coach Mike Macdonald and co, with their defense becoming the best in the NFL.

Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba also had a breakout season, setting single-season franchise records in receiving yards (1,793) and receptions (119) in veteran quarterback Sam Darnold‘s first season under center in the Emerald City.

Getty

Smith-Njigba will now eye the record for the most receiving yards in a Super Bowl game (215).

Meanwhile, Darnold is bidding to become the first quarterback in the 2018 draft class to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy, something none of the much more heralded Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson or Baker Mayfield have been able to achieve.

But defeating second-year quarterback Drake Maye – who is also one of the two leading MVP candidates – will be no easy feat.

Under head coach and former Patriots star Mike Vrabel, the franchise has done a complete 180, going from back-to-back 4-13 losing seasons, to winning 14 of their 17 outings in 2025.

Super Bowl LX could yet be a thriller, though the Seahawks faithful will be hoping it isn’t as dramatic as their final offensive play in the last meeting between the two sides in 2015.

Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.