After taking the lead, then seeing it slip away, the Seahawks nearly staged an impressive comeback in their season opener, but a fumble in the red zone ended the comeback hopes, and the 49ers escaped with a 17-13 victory.
Here are five rapid reactions from Sunday's Week 1 loss.
- Sam Darnold's Seahawks debut was solid, but the storybook ending didn't quite work out.
For most of his Seahawks debut, Sam Darnold was enjoying a solid, efficient performance that included not just some accurate passing, but also a couple of timely runs. Then late in the fourth quarter, Darnold and the offense were asked to lead a comeback with the 49ers having taken a 17-13 lead with 1:34 left on the clock. After a couple of completions to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, including a perfectly placed deep ball for a 40-yard gain, it looked like Darnold was up to the task.
But after reaching the San Francisco 9-yard line, Seattle's potential winning drive was snuffed out when Nick Bosa drove right tackle Abraham Lucas back into Darnold, who fumbled while attempting to throw the ball.
With that turnover, the 49ers were able to take a knee and celebrate the win and Darnold and the Seahawks offense were left lamenting an impressive drive that came up just short. For the day, Darnold was 16 for 23 for 150 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
- The Seahawks defense kept coming up with big stops, but the 49ers got a score when they needed it most.
The 2025 season didn't get off to the best start for the Seahawks defense. After a Michael Dickson punt pinned the 49ers at their own 5-yard line, Brock Purdy and company proceeded to drive 95 yards on 14 plays for a touchdown, a possession that saw the 49ers go 3 for 3 on third-down, albeit one of those conversions came after Leonard Williams was flagged for a debatable roughing the passer call that wiped out what would have been a drive-ending stop.
From that point on, however, the Seahawks defense came through over and over again with big plays in crucial, high-leverage moments. It wasn't that the Seahawks dominated the rest of the way—the 49ers have a really talented offense and one of the league's best play-callers in Kyle Shanahan—but just about every time the 49ers made a big play or had a long drive, Seattle's defense had an answer.
There were big run stops in short-yardage situations, including tackles for loss by, there were timely pressures to cause throwaways or errant passes, there was Julian Love's blocked field goal, and of course, there were two big takeaways: a spectacular interception by linebacker Ernest Jones IV, whose deep drop seemed to put him in a position where Purdy wasn't expecting a linebacker to be, and in the fourth quarter, an interception on a Josh Jobe deep ball that gave the Seahawks the ball back for a possession they would turn into a go-ahead field goal.
The defense could not, however get the last stop it needed after that. San Francisco, needing a touchdown, drove 68 yards on seven plays, the biggest a 45-yard completion to receiver Ricky Pearsall down the left sideline, to take the lead. The 49ers' winning score came on a scramble and pass to tight end Jake Tonges, who took away what looked like an interception for Riq Woolen to secure a touchdown.
- Julian Love's 2025 season got off to a great start.
Since arriving in Seattle in 2023, Julian Love has been a standout for the Seahawks defense, earning one Pro-Bowl while becoming a veteran leader of Mike Macdonald's defense. And in Sunday's opener, Love turned in yet another standout performance, making plays both on defense and special teams.
Love had a drive-killing, 12-yard sack on a blitz early in the game, his first since Week 2 of the 2022 season when he was still a member of the Giants, and he also finished with a team-high 10 tackles. In a game that was tight throughout, Love also turned in a huge play on special teams, blocking a field goal, which, at the time, preserved a 10-7 Seahawks lead.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a big game, but one turnover he wished he could have back.
Coming off a Pro-Bowl second season in which he tied a franchise record with 100 receptions, Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a great camp heading into this year, and on Sunday he followed that up with a standout first game.
Smith-Njigba led the Seahawks with 124 receiving yards on nine catches, including a 40-yarder late in the game, but for all that went well for the third-year receiver, there's one play he would no doubt like back. After catching a short-pass on the first play of the fourth quarter, Smith-Njigba had the ball ripped away from him for a fumble.
- Nick Emmanwori's much-anticipated debut featured a big play, and unfortunately an early exit.
There has been a lot of excitement around second-round pick Nick Emmanwori, and the rookie out of South Carolina didn't waste much time making his presence felt, stuffing a run for a 2-yard loss early in the game. Unfortunately, Emmanwori injured his ankle on that play, and was only able to return for one more play before exiting the game for good.
Check out the best photos from Seattle's season debut vs. the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 of the 2025 season at Lumen Field.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
