Metro Atlanta’s ties to Super Bowl LX run through Georgia alumni and NFL coaching pipelines

Super Bowl LX arrives with Georgia roots on both sidelines

Super Bowl LX is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, capping the NFL’s 2025 season. The matchup pairs the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, bringing a set of connections that trace back to metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia through players, coaching careers and long-running football development pipelines.

While the championship game will be staged across the country, the personnel involved reflects how Georgia—particularly the Atlanta region’s high school and college programs—continues to supply the league with talent that reaches its biggest stage.

Metro Atlanta product on the Patriots’ offensive line

One of the most direct local links comes through Patriots offensive lineman Jared Wilson, a University of Georgia alumnus who attended West Forsyth High School in Cumming, northeast of Atlanta. Wilson entered the league as a 2025 draft pick and has developed into a contributing lineman during his first NFL season, positioning him to be part of New England’s Super Bowl roster.

Wilson’s path—from a metro Atlanta public high school program to Athens, then to the NFL—mirrors a broader pattern: Georgia’s top programs have increasingly functioned as feeders into professional rosters, with linemen in particular emerging from both well-funded suburban programs and the state’s flagship university.

Seahawks’ Georgia connection includes a former Bulldog running back

Seattle’s roster includes former Georgia running back Kenny McIntosh, drafted by the Seahawks in 2023. McIntosh’s season ended on injured reserve after suffering a torn ACL in training camp in 2025, making his on-field availability for Super Bowl week uncertain. Even without game-day snaps, his presence on the roster adds another Georgia alumni thread to the championship picture.

Coaching links: Athens to the NFL’s biggest game

The Atlanta-area footprint is not limited to players. New England’s offensive staff includes tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, whose career includes time as a Georgia running back before moving into coaching. The Patriots’ staff also includes offensive line coach Doug Marrone, who previously served on Georgia’s coaching staff earlier in his career.

On Seattle’s sideline, head coach Mike Macdonald’s résumé includes early-career work at Georgia, and the Seahawks’ staff features inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti, who coached at Georgia from 2011 to 2013 before returning to the NFL.

What it shows about the region’s role

From West Forsyth High School to the University of Georgia’s program and into NFL coaching staffs, metro Atlanta’s connection to Super Bowl LX illustrates how regional football infrastructure can shape national outcomes. The game’s rosters and staff charts offer a measurable snapshot of those pipelines—where local development, SEC competition and professional opportunity converge in one championship setting.

• Super Bowl LX date and site: Feb. 8, 2026, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
• Metro Atlanta tie: Jared Wilson (West Forsyth High School, Cumming) with New England
• Georgia alumni presence: Kenny McIntosh with Seattle; Thomas Brown on New England’s staff
• Coaching pathways: Mike Macdonald and Kirk Olivadotti both have Georgia experience

Super Bowl rosters can change late in the week due to injury designations and game-day inactive lists, but the Georgia-linked personnel involved underscores the state’s sustained influence on the NFL’s final weekend.