The Seattle Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers 13-3 in Week 18 to win the NFC West and secure the No. 1 seed. The victory ended the 49ers’ six-game winning streak and gave Seattle a spot at the top of the conference heading into the playoffs.
Sam Darnold played well in the win, completing 20 of 26 passes for 198 yards. He didn’t throw any touchdowns, but also avoided turnovers and only got sacked twice. The Seahawks won mostly because their running game and defense controlled the 49ers throughout the game.
According to Clutch Points, Darnold made NFL history with this win. He became the first quarterback ever to win 14 or more games and throw for over 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Before this, only Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rodgers had won 13 or more games in consecutive seasons.
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Darnold leads Seattle to their best season ever
Darnold signed a three-year contract worth $100.5 million with the Seahawks before this season. He joined Seattle after leading the Minnesota Vikings to 14 wins in 2024, their first time reaching that mark since 1998. Now he’s helped the Seahawks win 14 games for the first time in their history.
His numbers were slightly lower this year compared to last season. He threw for 4,000 yards both years but had 271 fewer yards with Seattle. He also scored 10 fewer touchdowns this season, finishing with 25 compared to 35 last year. Like other athletes considering what performance milestones mean for their contracts, Darnold’s consistent production justified his massive payday.
However, Darnold was more efficient with the Seahawks. He averaged 8.5 yards per pass attempt this season, better than his 7.9 average last year. The improvement shows he made smarter decisions even with slightly fewer big plays.
Darnold did throw two more interceptions this year despite throwing 68 fewer passes. He’s admitted that turnovers are a problem he needs to fix. The Seahawks are one of the few playoff teams with more turnovers than takeaways, which could hurt them in the postseason.
Against the 49ers, Darnold played a clean game when it mattered most. Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet carried the offense, rushing for 171 yards combined. Charbonnet scored the game’s only touchdown as Seattle won on the road to claim the division title. While Darnold made headlines in football, Angel Reese’s cryptic social media post sparked speculation across the sports world this weekend.
Published: Jan 4, 2026 01:00 pm