After the San Francisco 49ers beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-13 on Sunday September 7, 2025, Deommodore Lenoir stood on the field and high-fived seemingly every member of the 49ers.
When the new 49ers captain was asked why he did that after the game, Lenoir admitted that beating the Seahawks was extra emotional for him because of his offseason drama with Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Lenoir and Smith-Njigba went back and forth all offseason talking trash on social media. So much so that their 1-on-1 matchup became one of the big focuses of the game in the media.
“Y’all know what was going on this whole offseason where they kinda made this game about me and one of their receivers,” Lenoir said, referring to Smith-Njigba. “But we came out and got the dub, that’s all that matters. Now we’re ready for [the] New Orleans [Saints].”
Lenoir also was excited because he felt the 17-13 victory was a “great team win.”
How Did Lenoir, Smith-Njigba Play?
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was pretty much the only person who had a great day for the Seattle Seahawks offense.
Smith-Njigba hauled in 9 catches for 124 yards. The rest of Seattle’s offense had 110 yards total, rushing and passing. So Smith-Njibga is clearly the go-to guy for quarterback Sam Darnold and the Seattle offense.
However, none of those catches came against Deommodore Lenoir. Most of Smith-Njigba’s big catches came when he was lined up against 49ers CB2 Renardo Green, including his clutch 40-yard reception late in the fourth quarter. The 49ers did manage to keep Smith-Njigba out of the end zone as a team, however.
• 13 Targets • 124 Yards • 19.4 Fantasy Points
He played all over the field and was Darnolds clear WR1
If the Seahawks want to win games, they need this dude to ball🤝
Smith-Njigba did also fumble twice, though Seattle only lost one of those fumbles.
Lenoir didn’t have a particularly standout day in terms of traditional statistics, with only the 2 solo tackles to his name.
But that’s not always a bad sign for a cornerback. In this case, it wasn’t. Lenoir didn’t make many plays because the Seahawks didn’t complete a single pass against him, a sign that Lenoir was locking Seattle down in coverage.
But he has to be happy with his role in the 49ers’ great team defensive effort. With so many young and unproven players all over the 49ers defense, many people around the NFL doubted that the 49ers would have a good defense this season.
In the face of that, the 49ers chose to lean on returning defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and their defensive leaders, Lenoir, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. That strategy has paid dividends so far.
Who Were The Standout Defensive Stars For San Francisco?
It’s hard to give defensive MVP to anyone other than star EDGE rusher Nick Bosa.
Bosa had 6 tackles against Seattle including 3 tackles for loss and a sack. He also put pressure on Sam Darnold on the Seahawks last drive in the fourth quarter that caused him to fumble. Bosa recovered the fumble, effectively winning the game for the 49ers.
The 49ers’ two star linebackers, Fred Warner and Dee Winters, also played exceptionally well. Warner led the team with 8 tackles (4 solo) including a tackle for loss, while Winters had 6 tackles (5 solo) and 2 tackles for loss.
Rookie safety Marques Sigle also had a nice day in his NFL debut. Sigle had 6 tackles (5 solo) and a fumble recovery. Sam Okuayinonu forced the fumble.
Quite a debut for former #NDSU standout Marques Sigle.
Another great from Omaha too.
49ers fans, who did you think was the standout defensive star? What did you think of Deommodore Lenoir’s play on Saturday?
The San Francisco 49ers’ Win Over The Seattle Seahawks Was Personal For One Rising Star