Why the Seahawks' Super Bowl 60 trip was destined to happen with new Pope's election
The Seahawks' Super Bowl run continues an unlikely trend
If there was one team destined to make Super Bowl 60, it was definitely the Seattle Seahawks. During the preseason, the Seahawks were a 60-to-1 long shot to reach the Super Bowl, but oddsmakers clearly didn't take divine intervention into account when they came up with those numbers. Otherwise, Seattle would have been a heavy favorite.
Before the 2025 season started, there was a new Pope, Pope Leo XIV, elected. If the oddsmakers had done their homework, they would've known that there's only one NFL team that could possibly benefit -- the Seahawks.
In what can only be described as the most improbable NFL-related trend involving the Pope, the Seahawks have earned the NFC's No. 1 seed and made the Super Bowl in each year that a new Pope has been elected since 1980.
The last three times a new Pope was elected, the Seahawks have made the Super Bowl as the No. 1 seed.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 26, 2026
◽️ 2005: Pope Benedict XVI elected, SEA to SB XL
◽️ 2013: Pope Francis elected, SEA to SB XLVIII
◽️ 2025: Pope Leo XIV elected, SEA to SB LV pic.twitter.com/3VfU8a8tlA
That's right. There have only been three new popes elected in that span.
Before Benedict XVI, the last new Pope to be elected came in 1978.
Not only was there a new Pope elected this year, but the new Pope is actually a BEARS fan.
Interesting that the Bears got good after a Chicagoan became Pope. pic.twitter.com/Fvlq0UCaRl
— Nevada Man 🇺🇸🇻🇦 (@RulerofNV) January 14, 2026
Well, the Rams beat the Bears in the divisional round. After they beat the Pope's team, we should've all known there was no way that he would to let them win their next game, which just happened to come against the Seahawks in the NFC Championship.
The Seahawks ended up beating the Rams, 31-27, reaching the Super Bowl for the first time in 11 years.
Although the Seahawks have made the Super Bowl the past three times that a Pope has been elected, they haven't won every time.
They lost the 2005 season's Super Bowl 40, 21-10, to the Steelers. However, they did earn their first Super Bowl win in franchise history in the 2013 season when they beat the Broncos, 43-8, in Super Bowl 48.
So, has anyone been able to take advantage of this information?
The Seahawks weren't a popular bet to win the Super Bowl, but one gambler was all over them in August. He bet on them to make the playoffs, win the NFC and and Super Bowl.
One @BetMGM bettor bet $150,000 on Seahawks futures in Aug. to win ~$4.5 million:
— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) January 18, 2026
➡️$50K on SEA to win Super Bowl LX (60-1) to win $3M
➡️$50K on SEA to win NFC (28-1) to win $1.4M
➡️$50K on SEA to make playoffs (+185) to win $92.5K ✅
SEA now hosting the NFC title game 👀
At this point, he's already pocketed nearly $1.5 million in profit.
He could add another $3 million if the Seahawks beat the Patriots.
Whether he's aware of it or not, this guy has definitely gotten some divine help.
















