Did the NFL predict a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl LX matchup in September? Exploring fan conspiracy theories

On the eve of Super Bowl LX, in which the Seattle Seahawks will take on the New England Patriots, an outlandish fan theory has gone viral on social media as the NFL prepares to kick off.

A league-issued image promoting their schedule from earlier this season, back in September, resurfaced recently, with several fans claiming it foreshadowed the exact matchup many months in advance. A standard piece of marketing material turned out to be the trigger for a full-blown online debate.The image in question was of one player from each of the 32 NFL teams lined up in front of Levi's Stadium, the site of the next Super Bowl.

Then, it was just seen as a salute to the opening week. And now, following the Seahawks and Patriots gaining entry into the title game, fans are going back to the image and saying that it must have contained allusions to the future.

Why the September NFL graphic fueled conspiracy theories

This renewed interest centers on where certain players were positioned in the promotional image. Advocates of the theory note that Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye appear to be positioned just right of center in the image compared to several others.

Some fans think that detail is just way too perfect in its coincidence of timing, especially since both teams ultimately made it to the league's final game of the season.On X, Instagram, and TikTok, posts analyzing the graphic, circling figures, drawing lines, and claiming that the league was subtly revealing the final outcome have gone viral. This has been followed by jokes on social media that the NFL is rigged, a longstanding internet meme that the results of pro football games are predetermined.

However, officials have shot down the speculation. NFL representatives said in a statement that the picture is intended simply to promote an exciting new season and not to favor any team over another. They assert that there was no effort to forecast or sway playoff outcomes. To them, the theory is just creative license on top of a basic marketing post.

Sam Darnold and Drake Maye at the center of the online storm

It is not the first time that football fans have sought the secret meaning hidden within a league graphic.

We've seen similar theories in the past, particularly about the colors of the Super Bowl logos. Whenever an improbable pairing takes place, internet sleuths find 'proof' that it was secretly planned long ago.The NFL does not make preseason predictions; analysts, computer models, and betting markets do. Before the season began, Seattle and New England weren't exactly chalked in making the championship game. The playoff runs of both teams surprised many so-called experts, helping to further fuel the conspiracy theory.