Boston and Seattle archbishops announce $500 charitable wager ahead of Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl LX
A friendly bet with a charitable focus
The Roman Catholic archbishops of Boston and Seattle have agreed to a friendly wager ahead of Super Bowl LX, when the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are scheduled to meet on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Boston Archbishop Richard G. Henning and Seattle Archbishop Paul D. Etienne said the wager will take the form of a $500 donation by the archbishop of the losing team to Catholic charitable work with a particular focus on care and support for immigrants.
Context: a recurring Super Bowl-week tradition
The wager reflects a pattern of faith leaders using the Super Bowl’s national attention to spotlight local service efforts. In this case, the archbishops tied their bet to charitable activity rather than a material exchange, framing the donation as a concrete benefit connected to a high-profile sports weekend.
The two archbishops also described the Super Bowl as a widely shared cultural moment, while noting that the game unfolds alongside active national debates that affect immigrant communities.
Who is involved
Archbishop Richard G. Henning became the seventh Archbishop of Boston in 2024 and has led the archdiocese since his installation on Oct. 31, 2024.
Archbishop Paul D. Etienne has served as Archbishop of Seattle since 2019.
The game: Patriots vs. Seahawks, a rematch on a major stage
Super Bowl LX is set for Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium. The matchup pairs the Patriots, seeking another championship appearance in the post-Brady era, against the Seahawks, who are returning to the title game for another opportunity at a second Lombardi Trophy.
Beyond the on-field stakes, the game’s weeklong build-up has produced a wave of symbolic cross-country wagers. Separately from the archbishops’ bet, the governors of Massachusetts and Washington announced their own friendly Super Bowl wager involving regional food and coffee, highlighting how the Patriots-Seahawks pairing has sparked civic and cultural one-upmanship alongside football analysis.
The archbishops said the wager is intended to keep charitable work in view during a weekend dominated by sports programming and festivities.
What happens next
Under the terms described by the archbishops, the result of Super Bowl LX will determine which archdiocese receives the $500 charitable donation from the other. The game is scheduled for Sunday evening, Feb. 8, 2026.
For Boston-area Catholics and football fans alike, the wager adds a service-oriented subplot to a Super Bowl week already marked by high visibility, heightened anticipation, and a renewed Patriots presence on the NFL’s biggest stage.