Building a Super Bowl-caliber team requires more than assembling talent; it’s also about juggling the personalities and egos of over 50 athletes.
It’s a guarantee you’ll have some players universally loved, some loved only by their own team and fanbase, and some universally hated. Everyone loves last year’s Super Bowl champion, Saquon Barkley. Conversely, the diva attitude of his Philadelphia Eagles teammate, AJ Brown, is wearing thin even in Philly.
So, who are the most loved and hated players at Super Bowl LX? We look at the rosters of the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
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Most Loved Players
Quarterback Sam Darnold – Seattle Seahawks
Let’s start with a beloved figure at the most beloved position. Not only is QB Sam Darnold loved in Seattle and around NFL circles for being a quiet, humble, and resilient leader, but he’s also a classic redemption story.
Darnold was considered another bust QB after failing as a No. 3 overall pick with the New York Jets. His underwhelming performances playing in Carolina and San Francisco in years four and five didn’t help his case. Still, something clicked when he landed in Minnesota and has peaked in Seattle. This year, he recorded his second-straight 4,000-yard season, had a career-high completion percentage, and led the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl since 2014 with a heroic 346-yard, three TD performance in the NFC Championship.
How can you not root for an outcast, blue-chip QB who survives and finds success?
Linebacker Christian Elliss – New England Patriots
Christian Elliss is another compelling story: after being cut six times in his career, he became a key starter for the Patriots. But the love he gets from fans and teammates isn’t just because of his underdog story; he’s also a family man first.
Elliss has 11 siblings, says he’d leave Super Bowl LX if his family needed him, and proved it by staying on the field after the AFC Championship to console his brother Jonah Elliss, who plays for the Denver Broncos.
Wide Receiver Cooper Kupp – Seattle Seahawks
Just a year ago, the Los Angeles Rams cast aside Cooper Kupp, the Super Bowl LVI MVP. He was heartbroken. They even tried to trade him, then added insult to injury by telling him to retire before just cutting him. Now he’s starting in another Super Bowl and got there by sending the Rams home.
Hard not to root for a player that the NFL gods deemed worthy of good karma.
Most Hated Players
Wide Receiver Stefon Diggs – New England Patriots
WR Stefon Diggs is the most polarizing player on this list. Diggs was beloved in Minnesota, but he tweeted his way out of the city due to issues with QB Kirk Cousins. Diggs was beloved in Buffalo, but forced his way out of that city due to usage. Seeing a pattern? Everything is rosy with Diggs until he’s not consistently catching passes, then watch out.
Combine that with legal issues – including a report alleging he strangled and assaulted a chef over a pay dispute – and his welcome grows colder with every stop.
Defensive Tackle Christian Barmore – New England Patriots
Defensive tackles are already viewed through a negative lens, as they tend to have a nasty streak that helps them blow up offensive lines. But Barmore has added fuel to the fire after a December 31, 2025, report accused him of one count of assault and battery on a family member in his home.
The court rescheduled Barmore’s February 3, 2026, arraignment to March 9. His lawyer has stated that “the evidence will demonstrate that no criminal conduct took place.” Regardless of the outcome, it still doesn’t help his reputation.
Punter Bryce Baringer – New England Patriots
Usually, punters are an afterthought, but Patriots fans have been absolutely losing it on Patriots punter Bryce Baringer throughout the season and playoffs.
Here are just a few Tweets (or “X” posts) from the AFC Championship Game to paint the picture:
- “I don’t care how bad the conditions are, Bryce Baringer has been god-awful today.”
- “Does Bryce Baringer have a hotel reservation in Cancun or something?”
- “Bryce Baringer needs to be gone next year.”
Yikes. Considering punters get replaced like spare tires, it’s not a good sign for his future if fans already want him off the team. It’ll take some serious one-yard punting to save him.
Cornerback Riq Woolen – Seattle Seahawks
Riq Woolen had a solid season as a backup corner in the Seattle secondary. Still, he almost became the most hated player in Seahawks history. Woolen made an amazing play going into the fourth quarter with Seattle leading 31-20, denying a third-down pass to Rams wideout Puka Nacua. But Woolen followed this up by jawing with the Rams sideline all the way down the boundary, drawing a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. On the very next play, Nacua got behind him to score a touchdown.
Social media exploded, but luckily Seattle held the Rams scoreless in the fourth to punch their ticket to Super Bowl LX.
Next Steps
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