The San Francisco 49ers left Lumen Field with their perfect record intact after surviving a dizzying 32-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC West game that had just about everything.
The result pushes San Francisco to 5-0 in 2026 and gives Kyle Shanahan’s team sole possession of first place in the division. It was not clean, not calm, and not remotely predictable. There were seven combined turnovers, a player ejection, a defensive touchdown, and multiple injuries to key offensive players before the 49ers finally escaped with the win.
San Francisco set the tone early on defense. After opening the game with a three-and-out, the 49ers got an interception from Renardo Green at Seattle’s 18-yard line. Brock Purdy wasted no time taking advantage, hooking up with Mike Evans on a two-play, 18-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
Seattle answered quickly after Jacob Cowing muffed a punt at the 49ers’ 24-yard line, setting up a short Seahawks scoring drive. From there, the game turned into a chaotic, physical grind.
The 49ers’ defense, which had gone four straight games without allowing a sack, suddenly came alive. San Francisco piled up four sacks in the first half, including Gracen Halton’s first career NFL sack and Osa Odighizuwa’s first sack in a 49ers uniform. Mykel Williams also made his season debut after returning from a torn ACL.
Then came another swing. Fred Warner forced a fumble at Seattle’s 11-yard line, and Christian McCaffrey finished the next play with an 11-yard touchdown run. It was McCaffrey’s fifth rushing score through five games in 2026.
The tone got even uglier before halftime. After a clean hit by Dre Greenlaw on Darnold near the sideline, tempers boiled over into a brawl. Greenlaw was ejected after headbutting Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV.
San Francisco still managed to add one more gut punch before the break. On the final play of the half, Seattle lost the ball again in its own backfield. Gracen Halton stripped it, recovered it in the end zone, and turned it into a defensive touchdown that sent the 49ers into halftime up 21-13.
The second half belonged to the mess. Seattle clawed back as both offenses struggled to find any rhythm. Renardo Green intercepted Darnold for the second time, but Eddy Pineiro missed a 53-yard field goal try.
Then the 49ers’ offense started taking blows. Purdy threw a third-and-long interception, but Connor Colby saved a possible pick-six with a shoestring tackle. Seattle turned that short field into a touchdown and grabbed a 23-21 lead.
The next series brought another blow: Deebo Samuel fumbled and left with a hamstring injury, ending his night. Seattle added a field goal to move ahead 26-21, and Jacob Cowing also exited with an injury, leaving San Francisco thin at receiver.
Still, Purdy answered when it mattered most. With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, he led a key drive that nearly came apart on a fumble before Luke Farrell recovered it. Purdy then found Brandin Cooks for a touchdown.
San Francisco still needed help on the conversion, and it got it when a defensive pass interference penalty gave the 49ers another shot from the 1-yard line. Purdy connected with Mike Evans, who brought it in to put San Francisco in front 29-26.
Evans was outstanding, finishing with seven catches for 113 yards, a touchdown, and a 2-point conversion.
Seattle tied it at 29-29 with a 40-yard field goal, but Purdy delivered one more drive to get the 49ers into range. Pineiro then bounced back from his earlier miss and banked a 44-yard field goal off the upright to give San Francisco a 32-29 lead with 1:56 left.
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The more memorable moment came when Evans got into a brief trash-talking exchange with Seahawks cornerback Trevon Diggs, a scene that made the broadcast rounds and added a little extra edge to an already physical game. Evans later said he did not realize who he was jawing with at first because of the helmet, a small detail that only added to the oddness of a chippy divisional matchup and the buzz surrounding his early impact in San Francisco. [Read more 🡒]