Seahawks dominate 49ers in playoff blowout, advance to NFC Championship game

Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks dominate 49ers in playoff blowout, advance to NFC Championship game

Seattle running back Kenneth Walker III had 116 rushing yards with three touchdowns

Jackson Thompson Fox News

Published

January 17, 2026 11:52pm EST

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Sam Darnold on getting FIRST playoff win 💪 Credits Defense in Seahawks' blowout victory over 49ers

Sam Darnold spoke on the Seattle Seahawks' 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Divisional Round.

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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 amid doubt that he would be able to play due to an oblique injury. Darnold threw for 124 yards and one touchdown amid the concern for his first career playoff win, while Seattle's running game took care of 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 during 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, only managing two field goal drives.

Seattle will now await the winner of Sunday's other 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 sought to defend their Super Bowl title, beating Aaron Rodgers in 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 be looking to put an exclamation point on a dramatic resurgence after a slow start to his pro career with the New York Jets. Darnold has also found some big-game redemption after faltering for the Minnesota Vikings late in the season last year.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.

Seahawks dominate 49ers in playoff blowout, advance to NFC Championship game