Super Bowl 60: Patriots kicker, returners ready to have millions of eyes on them

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Super Bowl 60: Patriots kicker, returners ready to have millions of eyes on them

Matt Vautour · MassLive

Sun, Feb 8, 2026 ·

2 min read

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Kyle Williams is hoping, whichever way the commemerative coin lands to start Super Bowl 60, that the Patriots are receiving.

The rookie receiver wants to experience what it feels like to know that most of the TV sets in America are watching the ball sail in his direction.

Williams isn’t a lock to be on New England ’s opening kickoff return team, but there’s a good chance. He returned 11 kickoffs for 209 yards during the regular season.

But those are nothing like this.

Last year, the Super Bowl averaged 127.7 million viewers domestically. The NFL reported that 62 million people outside of the United States watched, too.

The opening kickoff used to feature thousands of flashbulbs as fans’ cameras captured the moments inside the stadiums. Cell phone cameras eliminated most of the blinking lights. But even without them, the players will know that in that moment, they’re in an enormous fish bowl.

The Patriots will almost certainly have some combination of rookies Williams, Efton Chism III , TreVeyon Henderson and practice squad elevation D’Ernest Johnson set to return kickoffs.

If it’s one of them, Henderson will be trying to block it out, while Williams wants to feed off of it.

“It’s a crazy moment,” Henderson said. “I just have to stay focused and try to make a play to win the game.”

Williams’ idea is to take in the moment while the kick is on the way up and be ready to make a play when it starts its descent.

“You take a deep breath and look around. You see how crowded the stadium is. You try to tune out the noise,” Williams said. “Then you think, O.K., eyes on me. Try to make a big play. It kicks off the game and sets the tone. If it’s a play for them, it’s going to get them going. If we make a play, it gets us going. I wouldn’t want to set the tone any other way.”

If the Patriots kick off, the early moments will belong to Andy Borregales . Under the new kickoff rules, he’s the only one moving for a second or two. He’ll pause, look around and then kick off Super Bowl 60.

“I’m just grateful,” he said. “That’s something you dream of as a kid, on a stage like that in a game like this.”

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