Brief

Seahawks fall 32-29 to 49ers as Smith‑Njigba drop and turnovers prove costly

Seattle's three‑point loss featured a late drop by Jaxon Smith‑Njigba and four turnovers that directly led to San Francisco scores.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:52:24 GMT

Seattle fell 32-29 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, after a late drop by wide receiver Jaxon Smith‑Njigba and a series of turnovers that gave the 49ers the edge, according to the Associated Press.

What happened

With the Seahawks trailing by three points and facing a third‑and‑10 at midfield with 1:00 left, quarterback Sam Darnold launched a deep ball to his top target, Smith‑Njigba. The receiver, who had already recorded five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown, mistimed his leap and the ball hit his hands, falling to the turf at the 25‑yard line and resulting in a fourth down instead of a first down that could have set up a tying field goal.

On the following play, veteran receiver Cooper Kupp was tackled one yard short of a first down, ending Seattle’s final chance to score.

What the reports add

The AP detailed that Seattle committed four turnovers, three of which directly produced 49ers points. Two of the turnovers were fumbles inside the 11‑yard line, and the other two were interceptions thrown by Darnold. The first interception occurred on Seattle’s opening drive when cornerback Renardo Green stripped a pass intended for Smith‑Njigba at the Seattle 18 and returned it to the 11‑yard line, setting up a two‑yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to Mike Evans.

Darnold’s second interception came early in the third quarter, again to Green on Darnold’s first pass of that period. The fumbles were caused by running back Emanuel Wilson, who lost the ball at the Seattle 11 in the second quarter, and later by another back (the report cuts off before naming the second fumbler).

What was said

“I had the chance to catch the ball,” Smith‑Njigba said. “So really, just catch the ball, catch the damn football at the end of the day. I know I’ll make the next one.”

“You’ve got to tip your cap to those guys,” Darnold said. “They played a good game, but just again, those are all things that I can control. Just can’t be putting the ball in jeopardy like that.”

How it came about

Seattle entered the game as the defending Super Bowl champions but struggled with ball security throughout. The turnovers mirrored earlier concerns highlighted in Felo’s coverage of Seattle’s recent defensive lapses, and the loss adds to a string of close defeats for the franchise this season.

Key facts

Seattle lost to San Francisco 32-29 on Oct. 11, 2026. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Jaxon Smith‑Njigba dropped a potential game‑tying pass with 1 minute left. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Seattle committed four turnovers, three leading directly to 49ers scores. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sam Darnold threw two interceptions to cornerback Renardo Green. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Running back Emanuel Wilson fumbled inside the 11‑yard line in the second quarter. (winnipegfreepress.com)