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The Seattle Seahawks punched their ticket to the NFC Championship game with a 41-6 stomping of their division rival San Francisco 49ers in Saturday’s divisional round playoff game.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold took the field in doubt that he would be able to play due to an oblique injury. Darnold threw for 124 yards and a touchdown amid concern for his first career playoff win, while Seattle’s running game handled most of the offense.
Running back Kenneth Walker III had 116 rushing yards with three touchdowns.
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Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball after a catch in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lumen Field on January 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Harry How/Getty Images)
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy had 140 passing yards with no touchdowns and one interception as he was never able to get the 49ers offense into the end zone, managing only two field goal drives.
Seattle will now await the winner of Sunday’s second NFC divisional round game between the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams to see who their opponent will be.
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Seattle hasn’t been back to the NFC Championship since 2014, when they tried to defend their Super Bowl title, beating Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers at home in that game, but then falling short to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
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Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lumen Field on January 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Darnold will try to put an exclamation point on a dramatic resurgence after a slow start to his professional career with the New York Jets. Darnold has also found some big redemptions after faltering for the Minnesota Vikings late in the season last year.
