The San Francisco 49ers rallied late to secure a 32-29 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Lumen Field in Seattle, improving their record to 5-0 this NFL season. The win marked a measure of revenge for the 49ers following two losses to the Seahawks last season, including a 41-6 defeat in the divisional playoffs when San Francisco’s roster was depleted.
Quarterback Brock Purdy played a pivotal role in the fourth quarter, orchestrating two scoring drives that ultimately swung the game in San Francisco’s favor. Purdy connected repeatedly with wide receiver Mike Evans, whom the 49ers signed this offseason, demonstrating the impact of the newcomer in critical moments. During a key drive, Purdy overcame an intentional grounding penalty, completing a 28-yard pass to Evans on second-and-21, helping set up a seven-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks. Following a successful two-point conversion to Evans, the 49ers took a 29-26 lead.
Seattle responded with a field goal to tie the game before Purdy led a 43-yard drive culminating in Eddy Piñeiro’s game-winning field goal with under two minutes remaining. The Seahawks had one final opportunity, but a dropped third-down pass by Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a fourth-down stop of Cooper Kupp by Malik Mustapha ended their comeback hopes.
The contest was marked by an NFL season-high seven combined turnovers and heightened physicality, highlighted by the second-quarter ejection of San Francisco linebacker Dre Greenlaw for head-butting Seattle’s Ernest Jones IV following a late hit on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. The turnovers allowed Seattle to gain leads at various points, with key interceptions and fumble recoveries setting up scoring drives.
Purdy finished 19 of 29 for 189 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, with nearly all his productive plays occurring in the final quarter. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold helped keep his team competitive but was ultimately unable to lead a game-winning drive in the closing moments.
Both teams exhibited strong defensive efforts, with San Francisco’s defense forcing multiple turnovers and making crucial stops throughout the game. The 49ers capitalized on Seattle’s decision to use timeouts late in the first half, recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, helping to establish momentum.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan praised Purdy’s late-game performance, acknowledging the challenge presented by Seattle’s defense. San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner described the matchup as a "heavyweight bout," reflecting the intense competition between two teams with playoff aspirations.
With this victory, the 49ers maintain an undefeated start to the season, while the Seahawks fall to 3-2. Both teams will look to build on their performances as the regular season progresses.