San Francisco – Predictions before the season suggested the Seattle Seahawks would be on the outskirts of the Super Bowl picture, but it turns out many were mistaken.
The team underwent significant changes in the offseason, including trading Geno Smith, signing Sam Darnold, and even sending DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
These changes sparked a transformation, leading them to secure the top seed in the NFC with 14 wins and 3 losses—just one win away from their first championship in over a decade.
The Seahawks clinched the top spot by defeating their division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, in Week 18, and then they managed another win against them two weeks later in the divisional round.
Christian McCaffrey expressed respect for the Seahawks, noting, “They’re a hell of a team. You know, they beat us in both games. They definitely had our numbers. We needed to play better and cut down on our mistakes,” in a conversation with FOX News Digital.
Brock Purdy also shared his perspective: “They’re a really well-coached team, obviously talented across the board, good defense, and Sam leading the offense with Clint Kubiak. They did a really good job. They earned it. You have to be prepared for them every week.” Overall, he emphasized how tough they make it for opponents.
McCaffrey reflected on the Niners’ challenges but admitted they couldn’t excuse their performance due to the difficult schedule they faced. “I don’t want to make excuses, but the NFL gave us a tight window at the end of the season with a Week 14 bye. That didn’t help us,” he said. “Injuries just made everything more challenging.” He added that the Seahawks were outperforming them across the board and said, “If we want to win, we have to play better. It’s as simple as that.”
Jackson Smith-Njiba had a standout season, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards, catching 119 passes, and scoring 10 touchdowns. Darnold made history as the only quarterback to win over 14 games with two different teams in back-to-back seasons.
The next challenge for the Seahawks is against the New England Patriots on Sunday, taking place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, where McCaffrey and Purdy both play.
