Seattle just put the entire NFC on notice, and the history is the part that will make Seahawks fans do a double-take.
The Seahawks clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed (and the NFC West) with a 13-3 win over the San Francisco 49ers, finishing the regular season 14-3 and locking in a first-round bye.
And then Adam Schefter dropped the nugget that instantly turned this into a “wait…seriously?” moment: this is the fourth time Seattle has finished as the NFC’s top seed (2005, 2013, 2014, 2025)… and each of the previous three times, the Seahawks reached the Super Bowl.
Key details:
- Seattle is the NFC No. 1 seed and does not play on Wild Card Weekend.
- Wild Card Weekend: Jan. 10-12, 2026
- Seahawks’ first playoff game: Divisional Round (January 17-18, 2026) — kickoff time TBD
- NFC Championship: January 25, 2026
- Super Bowl LX: February 8, 2026 (Santa Clara)
Who will the Seahawks play in the playoffs?
Because Seattle earned the No. 1 seed, the Seahawks will host in the Divisional Round and will face the lowest remaining seed that advances out of Wild Card Weekend.
So if you’re searching “who will the Seahawks play next,” the honest answer right now is: it depends on the Wild Card results, but we do know the universe of likely opponents.
As the bracket stands heading into the final Sunday, the projected NFC matchups show:
- (2) Bears vs. (7) Packers
- (3) Eagles vs. (6) Rams
- (4) Buccaneers vs. (5) 49ers
If Green Bay (the No. 7 seed) pulls a Wild Card upset, Seattle would almost certainly draw the Packers because they’d be the lowest seed left. If the favorites win, Seattle’s most common path is hosting the winner of the 4 vs. 5 game.
When is the Seahawks’ playoff game? What time is kickoff?
Seattle’s Divisional Round game will be Saturday, January 17 or Sunday, January 18, but the exact kickoff time and TV assignment won’t be set until after Wild Card Weekend (once the matchups are finalized).
Wild Card games are spread across Saturday-Monday (January 10-12), and the league typically announces the full Wild Card slate after Week 18 concludes (then the Divisional windows become clearer once the Wild Card winners are known).
Why Schefter’s “top seed” nugget hits like a warning siren
This is where the pressure kicks in: the No. 1 seed isn’t just a trophy; it’s a bye, home-field advantage, and the cleanest path to February.
But Schefter’s history note adds a psychological layer: in 2005, 2013, and 2014, Seattle didn’t waste the No. 1 seed. They made the Super Bowl every time, winning the 2013 Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos, while narrowly falling in 2005 and 2014.
That doesn’t guarantee anything in 2026, but it absolutely raises the stakes. Now, anything short of a deep run will feel like a missed window.
Seattle didn’t just back into the No. 1 seed; it earned it with a season that steadily built into a statement. The Seahawks finished 14-3, handled big moments, and repeatedly found ways to win late as the offense and defense rounded into playoff form. The regular-season finale was a clean example: Seattle jumped on San Francisco early, controlled the game, and closed out a 13-3 win over the 49ers to clinch the NFC’s top spot and a first-round bye. Now the payoff is real: two straight home games would put the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and the path runs through Lumen Field.
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