The rivalry just hit a new peak. Seattle knocked the 49ers out 41–6, then lifted the Lombardi Trophy at Levi’s Stadium three weeks later. Here’s the full head-to-head record and what comes next.
Published: Tuesday, 28 July 2026 | BrandClickX
Summary
The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have met 57 times since 1976, with Seattle leading the all-time series 33–24. Their most recent meeting was the NFC Divisional Round on 17 January 2026, when the Seahawks won 41–6 at Lumen Field. Seattle went on to win Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium the 49ers’ home ground. The two teams meet again on 11 October 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Seattle leads the all-time series 33–24 across 57 meetings since 1976
- The Seahawks lead the playoff series 2–1
- January 2026’s 41–6 result was the 49ers’ second-worst playoff loss ever
- Seattle won Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco’s home
- It was Seattle’s second title and first since Super Bowl XLVIII
- The 49ers went 12–5 in 2025 and still finished third in the NFC West
- The rivalry only became meaningful after the 2002 realignment
- The teams meet next on 11 October 2026
What Is the 49ers vs Seahawks Head-to-Head Record?
Seattle leads the all-time series 33–24 across 57 meetings. There have been no ties.
| Category | Record |
| All-time series | Seahawks 33–24 |
| Regular season | Seahawks 31–23 |
| Postseason | Seahawks 2–1 |
| Total meetings | 57 |
| First meeting | 26 September 1976 — 49ers 37, Seahawks 21 |
| Most recent | 17 January 2026 — Seahawks 41, 49ers 6 |
| Next meeting | 11 October 2026 |
Seattle currently holds a two-game winning streak in the series.
The scoring margin across five decades is remarkably tight. Seattle averages roughly 23.7 points in these games; San Francisco averages about 19.8.
Why Did the Rivalry Only Become Serious in 2002?
Because the two teams were rarely in the same division. The Seahawks entered the NFL in 1976, spent most of their first 25 years in the AFC West, and only joined the NFC West in the 2002 realignment.
Before that, the fixture carried little weight. The teams met infrequently and rarely mattered to each other’s seasons.
Even after 2002, it took time. The Seahawks won four straight division titles from 2004 to 2007 while San Francisco finished third or fourth every year. The 49ers had no winning season between 2003 and 2010. Seattle then endured four straight losing seasons of its own from 2008 to 2011.
The rivalry needed both teams to be good at the same time. That finally happened in 2011.
The Harbaugh Carroll Era: When It Became the NFL’s Nastiest Fixture
Jim Harbaugh took over the 49ers in 2011, a year after Pete Carroll arrived in Seattle. The rivalry ignited immediately.
Both coaches built physical, defence-first teams. Seattle’s Legion of Boom secondary Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor met a 49ers roster built around Colin Kaepernick and one of the league’s best front sevens.
It peaked on 19 January 2014 in the NFC Championship Game at what was then CenturyLink Field. Seattle won 23–17, sealing it with a deflection in the end zone by Sherman that was intercepted by Malcolm Smith.
Those Seahawks finished 13–3 under Carroll, with John Schneider as general manager and Paul Allen as owner. Two weeks later they destroyed the Denver Broncos 43–8 in Super Bowl XLVIII for the franchise’s first championship.
That game remains the reference point for the rivalry and it stood alone for twelve years.
The Three Playoff Meetings
San Francisco and Seattle have met in the postseason three times. Seattle has won two.
| Season | Round | Result |
| 2013 | NFC Championship | Seahawks 23–17 |
| 2022 | NFC Wild Card | 49ers 41–23 |
| 2025 | NFC Divisional | Seahawks 41–6 |
Each has been consequential. The 2013 meeting sent Seattle to its first title. The 2022 Wild Card gave San Francisco its most emphatic win in the series. And January 2026 produced the most lopsided playoff result either team has recorded against the other.
What Happened in January 2026?
Seattle beat San Francisco 41–6 at Lumen Field on 17 January 2026 in the NFC Divisional Round the 49ers’ second-worst playoff defeat in franchise history.
Only their 49–3 loss to the New York Giants in the 1986 Divisional Round was heavier.
Seattle dominated all three phases. Jaxon Smith-Njigba produced one of his best performances of the season, the running game spearheaded by Kenneth Walker III controlled the tempo , the running game controlled the game, and the defence held San Francisco to a single-digit total.
The context made it sharper. San Francisco had arrived on a high, having upset the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round. They finished the regular season 12–5.
The NFC West was the league’s toughest division in 2025. Seattle went 14–3, tied for the best record in the NFL. The Los Angeles Rams also finished 12–5.
Then Came the Twist
Seattle beat the Rams 31–27 in the NFC Championship Game, then defeated the New England Patriots 29–13 in Super Bowl LX on 8 February 2026.
The venue was Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara — the 49ers’ home.
Seattle won the second championship in its history, and its first since Super Bowl XLVIII, in the building belonging to the team it had eliminated three weeks earlier. The season ended with a ten-game winning streak that included postseason wins over the 49ers, the Rams and the Patriots.
Biggest Games and Records in the Series
- Largest 49ers win: 38–7 at the Kingdome, 25 September 1988
- Largest Seahawks win: 41–3 at home, 11 December 2005
- Most points by San Francisco: 41, in 2022
- Most points by Seattle: 43, in 2018
- Longest Seahawks streak: 10 straight, from January 2014 to December 2018
- Longest 49ers streak: 6 straight, from September 2022 to October 2024
The pattern is streaky rather than balanced. Long runs of dominance by one side, then a sharp reversal.
Timeline of the Rivalry
| Date | Development |
| 26 Sept 1976 | First meeting; 49ers win 37–21 |
| 1977 | Seahawks move to the AFC West |
| 2002 | Realignment puts both in the NFC West |
| 25 Sept 1988 | 49ers record their biggest win, 38–7 |
| 11 Dec 2005 | Seahawks record their biggest win, 41–3 |
| 2011 | Harbaugh joins the 49ers; rivalry intensifies |
| 19 Jan 2014 | Seahawks win the NFC Championship 23–17 |
| 2 Feb 2014 | Seattle wins Super Bowl XLVIII |
| Jan 2022 | 49ers win the Wild Card 41–23 |
| 7 Sept 2025 | 49ers win 17–13 in Week 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Seahawks clinch the NFC West with a 13–3 win |
| 17 Jan 2026 | Seahawks win the Divisional Round 41–6 |
| 8 Feb 2026 | Seattle wins Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium |
| 11 Oct 2026 | Next scheduled meeting |
Latest Updates: Where Both Teams Stand Now
Both clubs opened training camp in late July 2026, with Seattle preparing to defend a title.
The Seahawks are managing early camp availability. Running back Zach Charbonnet has been placed on the physically unable to perform list, and head coach Mike Macdonald has given updates on Nick Emmanwori, Dante Fowler Jr. and Kenny McIntosh. Tight end Nick Vannett has re-signed with the club where he began his career.
Seattle’s 2025 honours reflected how complete the roster was. Jaxon Smith-Njigba earned first-team All-Pro selection at receiver. Punter Michael Dickson, linebacker Ernest Jones, defensive tackle Leonard Williams and cornerback Devon Witherspoon all made second team. Quarterback Sam Darnold was selected for the Pro Bowl.
San Francisco enters 2026 under Kyle Shanahan, still searching for the championship that has eluded him.
The 2026 season opens on Wednesday 9 September, when Seattle hosts New England in a Super Bowl rematch on NBC. San Francisco begins the following night against the Rams in Australia, streaming exclusively on Netflix.
What Experts Say
The consensus view after February was that Seattle had no obvious weakness. The defence finished as the league’s best, and the offence peaked at the right time.
That creates a specific problem for San Francisco. The 49ers won 12 games in 2025 and were still third in their own division. In most years, 12–5 wins a division comfortably.
Analysts have also noted that Seattle’s front office has been willing to shop directly in San Francisco’s roster, with ESPN’s Aaron Schatz among those identifying 49ers personnel as logical Seattle targets. Recruiting from a rival serves two purposes at once.
The caution is straightforward: NFC West dominance rarely lasts. Seattle’s own 10-game series streak from 2014 collapsed into a 49ers run from 2022. The division has punished complacency for two decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads the 49ers vs Seahawks all-time series?
Seattle leads 33–24 across 57 meetings. In regular-season games the Seahawks lead 31–23, and they hold a 2–1 advantage in the three playoff meetings between the two clubs.
When do the 49ers and Seahawks play next?
The two teams are scheduled to meet on 11 October 2026. As NFC West division rivals, they play twice every regular season, home and away.
What was the score of the last 49ers vs Seahawks game?
Seattle won 41–6 at Lumen Field on 17 January 2026 in the NFC Divisional Round. It was San Francisco’s second-most lopsided playoff defeat, behind only a 49–3 loss to the Giants in 1986.
Did the Seahawks win the Super Bowl in 2026?
Yes. Seattle beat New England 29–13 in Super Bowl LX on 8 February 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. It was the franchise’s second title, following Super Bowl XLVIII in the 2013 season.
Why is the 49ers vs Seahawks rivalry so intense?
It grew after the 2002 realignment placed both in the NFC West, then peaked when Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll built contending teams simultaneously. Their 2013 NFC Championship meeting cemented it.
What was the biggest win in the rivalry?
San Francisco’s largest margin was 38–7 at the Kingdome in September 1988. Seattle’s was 41–3 at home in December 2005. Seattle’s highest score in the series is 43 points, set in 2018.
Conclusion
Rivalries need a defining moment. This one now has two, twelve years apart, and both belong to Seattle.
The 2013 NFC Championship was decided by a fingertip. January 2026 was decided by halftime, and the sequel arrived three weeks later when Seattle lifted the trophy on San Francisco’s own field.
San Francisco’s answer starts on 11 October. In a division where 12–5 finished third last season, nobody in the NFC West gets a quiet year.
