The Seattle Seahawks return to the NFC Championship after crushing the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in the Divisional Round of the 2026 NFL Playoffs. Seattle got off to a fast start when Rashid Shaheed ran back on the opening kickoff for a touchdown. They followed that with a fourth-down stop and a forced fumble to take a 17-0 lead. The 49ers hit a pair of field goals in the second quarter, but were never able to get much done and Seattle is headed to the conference title game.
The Seattle Seahawks’ next opponent in the playoffs
When the Seahawks finish off the 49ers, they will host the winner of Sunday’s game between the Rams and Bears. That game starts at 6:30 pm ET. The NFC Championship will begin at approximately 6:30 pm ET next Sunday. The Rams beat the Panthers on the road in the wild card round, while the Bears beat the Packers at home.
History versus potential opponents
Record against the Chicago Bears: 12-6 regular season, 0-2 postseason
The Seahawks and Bears met a year ago and Seattle won Thursday night, the day after Christmas, 6-3. The last time they played in the playoffs was 15 years ago, when the Seahawks lost 35-34 in a Divisional Round game in Chicago.
Record against Los Angeles Rams: 29-26 regular season, 0-2 postseason
The Seahawks and Rams split home games in their series this season. It was the second straight season they split the season series, and this year it came with a combined scoring differential of Rams +1. The Rams won 21-19 in Week 11, while the Seahawks overcame a 16-point deficit to win 38-37 in overtime. They rarely meet in the playoffs, and the last game will be in 2021. The Rams won 30-20 in their wild card game in Seattle.
Early NFC Championship Odds
Spread: Seahawks -6.5
Total: 46.5
money line: Seahawks -330, Bears +265
Spread: Seahawks -1.5
Total: 48.5
money line: Seahawks -120, Rams +102
Seattle Seahawks Playoff History
The Seahawks will return to the NFC Championship for the first time since 2015. That year they beat the Packers in overtime before losing to the Patriots in the Super Bowl. This will be the fifth time they have reached the NFC Championship. They lost in 1984, but won all three of their subsequent trips to the semi-finals.