Derick Hall's strip-sack opens the way to Seahawks' second title

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The Seahawks had throttled the New England Patriots all game but still only managed a 12-0 lead when Derick Hall made the play that opened the way for Seattle to win its second Super Bowl.

The linebacker sacked Drake Maye in the third quarter and stripped the ball for a fumble that was recovered by Byron Murphy II. Five plays later, Seattle reached the end zone for the first time on a 16-yard touchdown catch by A.J. Barner on the way to a 29-13 victory Sunday.

It was the first turnover of the game and essentially helped Seattle put the game away. Hall finished with two sacks after getting only two all season.

“It’s been a little bit of a crazy year for me," Hall said. "Obviously, the pressures and the hits have been there, but no sacks, and man, what a more rewarding time to be blessed and have opportunities there to go out in this game and help lead this team to success tonight.”

For the 24-year-old Hall, to even play in his first Super Bowl — let alone make it to the NFL — was an impressive accomplishment in its own right. Hall was born four months premature in Gulfport, Mississippi, and was pronounced dead at birth without a heartbeat before being resuscitated.

Doctors believed Hall would likely be in a permanent vegetative state and advised his mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, to allow life support to be discontinued. But Gooden-Crandle refused, and Hall survived five months in an intensive care unit, frequent hospitalizations and intense asthma throughout his childhood.

He began playing flag football at 4 years old, and after a standout career at Gulfport High School was a star defensive end at Auburn.

“I started playing the game just to be able to get my lung capacity up. Just to be able to run around a little bit," Hall said. "I fell in love with the game. It allowed me to be a normal kid.”

He was selected by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft and quickly entrenched himself as a key cog in Seattle’s defense. Less than three years after he was drafted, Hall was one of a number of standout defenders for the Seahawks as they dismantled the Patriots.

Shortly after the win, Gooden-Crandle tapped Hall on the shoulder so they could hug. The waterworks came soon after as both broke down and shed tears of joy.

“Mom doesn’t miss a game," Hall said. "From the time I started playing football at 4 to tonight, my mom has been at every single game.”

All season, it wasn't just Gooden-Crandle that showed up at Seahawks games; it was Seattle's entire “Dark Side” defense that did so.

During the regular season, no defense allowed fewer points per game (17.2) than the Seahawks. It was a unit that featured a trio of players — cornerback Devon Witherspoon, linebacker Ernest Jones IV and defensive lineman Leonard Williams — that were selected to The Associated Press 2025 NFL All-Pro second team.

Jones, who led the Seahawks with 11 tackles on Sunday, had five interceptions during the season, which was tied for second-most in the NFL. Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu tied for the team lead with seven sacks in the regular season, and then intercepted Maye before returning it 45 yards for a pick-6 to put the Super Bowl out of reach.

But it was Hall who set in motion the Seahawks' victory. It wouldn't have been possible without decades of perseverance, which isn't lost on teammates such as Murphy.

“Hell of a player, hell of a guy, man, been through so much,” Murphy said. “That’s a determined dude, man. I love him to death — I love him to death.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) fumbles as he is sacked by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New England Patriots tackle Will Campbell (66) and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall exchange words during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) celebrates after sacking New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) causing a fumble during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MILAN (AP) — Three weeks after the United States beat Canada in the Olympic hockey finals, the Americans overcame their neighbors again to win Paralympic gold and complete the sweep at Milan Cortina.

In front of a packed arena, Jack Wallace scored a hat trick to help the U.S. beat Canada 6-2 in Sunday’s Para ice hockey final and become the first nation to win all three of the hockey tournaments at the Olympics and Paralympics in the same year. There is currently no women’s division at the Paralympics as it is classified as an open-gender sport.

Kayden Beasley, Declan Farmer — the tournament’s MVP — and Brody Roybal scored the other goals for the U.S. Liam Hickey bagged both goals for Canada, which pushed its rivals hard before conceding three in the final period.

“I’m glad we got it done because I think there’s a little bit more pressure with the men and women getting the golds too,” U.S. captain Josh Pauls said. “But I’m happy we could do it for USA hockey and I think it really just shows like how much they … invest in the grassroots programs because we have so many young players coming up and playing pivotal roles on our teams.”

One of those he’s seen progress at close hand is Wallace.

“It doesn’t get much better than that,” Wallace said with a broad smile when asked about his hat trick.

The 27-year-old Wallace, who grew up loving hockey, had his right leg amputated above the knee after a water-skiing accident at age 10 and thought his dreams of playing the sport at the highest level were over before discovering Para ice hockey.

“I think watching Jack Wallace go from the player he was when he first started, from a kid who just wanted to be back on the ice after losing his leg and now to watch him score a hat trick, it’s just so awesome to be a part of people’s lives and to watch them succeed and put in the work,” Pauls said.

“I was on the ice for the first time when he was on his sled and so to watch those guys blossom is just the ultimate honor and to be their teammate is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Pauls said.

While the Olympics saw the U.S. men’s team win gold for the first time since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980, it’s a very different story at the Paralympics.

It was a fifth straight title for the U.S. and Pauls — Wallace now has three and several of his teammates have four.

“I mean it’s kind of crazy, I can’t believe it,” Pauls said with a laugh. “I mean I don’t think you ever start out wanting to win five consecutive and to be the most decorated player in the sport and so I think this team is just so special.”

The U.S. has won six of the past seven editions of the Winter Paralympics. It was a third straight loss in the final for Canada, which won its only para ice hockey gold on Italian ice, in Turin in 2006.

Earlier, China claimed a second successive bronze medal as it fought back from conceding two goals in the opening three minutes to beat Czech Republic 3-2.

Sunday’s final set a new record attendance for the sport at a major tournament as 10,795 fans filled the near-capacity stands.

The mark had been set in the opening match of the tournament with the preliminary round game between the U.S. and host nation Italy drawing 8,992 spectators.

“I don’t think I could have imagined this,” Pauls said. "I mean it’s just so cool. I know this building was packed for the men’s and women’s Olympic finals and to be packed for us, I think, shows the parity of sled hockey compared to stand up ice hockey.

“And I think we had some really passionate fans. I didn’t realize so much of Italy was Canadian! And there was definitely some chants, but I’m glad we could kind of silence them a little bit ... it was such a great atmosphere to play in.”

AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games

China's players celebrate after taking a bronze medal during the ice hockey bronze medal match between China and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Canada's players reacts after loosing the ice hockey gold medal match between United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States' players celebrate after winning the gold medal at the ice hockey final match between United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States's Brody Roybal and his teammate Jack Wallace celebrate on the podium after winning the gold medal at the ice hockey of the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

United States's Jack Wallace celebrates after winning the gold medal at the end of the ice hockey match between United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

US players celebrate after winning the gold medal at the end of the ice hockey match between United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

United States' players celebrates after winning the ice hockey gold medal match between United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

United States's Jack Wallace celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during a gold medal ice hockey match between United States and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)