ClutchPoints
For the San Francisco 49ers, this loss was a humiliation layered with inevitability. A season that once carried Super Bowl promise ended flat, fractured, and over almost as soon as it began. From the opening kickoff to the final whistle, the 49ers were overwhelmed by a Seattle Seahawks team that looked faster, better prepared, and utterly ruthless. Injuries played a role, sure. The hostile environment mattered, of course. That said, neither explains how a proud franchise walked into a Divisional Round matchup and walked out with one of the ugliest playoff defeats in its modern history.
In a historic 41-6 rout, the 49ers were eliminated from the 2025 postseason by the top-seeded Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round on Saturday. The game took a catastrophic turn immediately, when Seattle’s Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. That ignited Lumen Field and set a brutal tone.
From there, it only got worse. The injuries to George Kittle, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa, among others caught up with the Niners. They never found traction on either side of the ball. The offense failed to score a touchdown. They settled for two Eddy Piñeiro field goals, while Seattle running back Kenneth Walker III carved up San Francisco for 116 yards and three touchdowns. The Seahawks’ ‘Dark Side’ defense forced three turnovers. These included a Brock Purdy interception and a lost fumble. Seattle held the 49ers scoreless for the final 34 minutes. With that, San Francisco’s Super Bowl hopes disintegrated.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the 49ers most to blame for their Divisional Round loss to the Seahawks.
This loss was not solely Purdy’s fault. However, it was the kind of game that demanded he be more than solid. Purdy completed 15 of 27 passes for 140 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. He added 37 rushing yards while also losing a fumble. Purdy played hard and showed toughness. He even flashed aggression as a runner. Still, the truth is that the offense needed Purdy to elevate everyone around him. He couldn’t.
Seattle’s coverage took away the middle of the field. The pass rush collapsed the pocket before routes could develop. Without a healthy supporting cast, Purdy’s physical limitations became more apparent. He struggled to push the ball vertically and couldn’t consistently escape pressure once the Seahawks disrupted the timing.
That doesn’t erase what was otherwise a very good season. In this moment, however, Purdy wasn’t a difference-maker. Against Seattle, that distinction mattered.
Christian McCaffrey was one of the few 49ers who showed up with urgency. That said, even he was rendered mortal.
McCaffrey rushed 11 times for 35 yards and added five receptions for 39 yards. His most productive plays came through the air. That’s where he found pockets of space when the offensive line could briefly hold. On the ground, however, he had nowhere to go. Game script worked against him. Seattle’s disciplined...
