Seahawks Rout 49ers, Secure Spot in NFC Championship With 41–6 Victory.

SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks seized control from the opening kickoff and never looked back, overpowering the San Francisco 49ers 41–6 on Saturday night to earn a berth in the NFC Championship Game. Rashid Shaheed ignited the crowd by returning the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown just 13 seconds into the contest. Kenneth Walker III added three rushing touchdowns, while quarterback Sam Darnold collected the first playoff victory of his career as Seattle improved to 15–3 on the season. Darnold, playing despite an oblique injury that left him questionable entering the game, completed 12 of 17 passes for 124 yards and threw a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The score marked Smith-Njigba’s first postseason touchdown and helped Seattle build an insurmountable early lead.

Shaheed’s return was the longest kickoff return in Seahawks postseason history and only the fourth opening-kick touchdown in an NFL playoff game since 2000. Seattle followed the early score with two additional touchdown drives before San Francisco managed to get on the board with a field goal. Seattle’s defense dominated throughout the night, forcing turnovers and limiting the 49ers to two field goals. Brock Purdy finished 15 of 27 for 140 yards while throwing an interception and losing a fumble. The Seahawks also recovered a fumble by tight end Jake Tonges as part of their stifling defensive performance. Walker’s three rushing touchdowns tied Shaun Alexander for the most rushing scores in a single playoff game in franchise history. Meanwhile, the 49ers struggled without several key players, including injured All-Pros George Kittle, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa.

San Francisco briefly regained Christian McCaffrey in the third quarter after he exited with a stinger, but the running back was forced out again and did not return. The loss marked the second-largest playoff defeat in 49ers franchise history. With the win, Seattle advances to host either the Chicago Bears or the Los Angeles Rams next weekend, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The Seahawks are now one victory away from their fourth Super Bowl appearance and their first since the 2014 season.