Seahawks, 49ers preparing to meet for 2nd time in 3 weeks in NFC divisional round matchup

San Francisco (13-5) at Seattle (14-3)

Saturday, 8 p.m. EST, FOX.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Seahawks by 7 1/2.

Against the spread: 49ers 12-6; Seahawks 12-5

Series record: Seahawks lead 32-24

Last meeting: The Seahawks held the 49ers to a season-low 173 total yards in a 13-3 win for Seattle on Jan. 3.

Last week: San Francisco beat Philadelphia 23-19; Seattle had a bye.

49ers offense: overall (7), rush (24), pass (5), scoring (10).

49ers defense: overall (20), rush (11), pass (25), scoring (13).

Seahawks offense: overall (T-7), rush (T-10), pass (8), scoring (5).

Seahawks defense: overall (6), rush (3), pass (10), scoring (1).

Turnover differential: 49ers minus-8; Seahawks minus-4.

QB Brock Purdy. After throwing for just 127 yards and leading no TD drives in the loss to Seattle two weeks ago, Purdy looked much better in the playoff opener. He threw for 262 yards and two TDs against Philadelphia, including the game-winning TD pass with 2:54 to play for his second fourth-quarter comeback in seven postseason starts. Purdy has struggled against defenses run by Seattle coach Mike Macdonald with a 79.7 rating in five starts, including a loss to Baltimore in 2023 when Macdonald was the defensive coordinator.

RB Kenneth Walker III. The previous time these two teams met, Walker rushed for 97 yards on 16 carries. Two of his three most productive rushing games of the season came in the Seahawks’ final three games, as Walker also ran for 100 yards against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 18. Walker, and the Seahawks’ rushing attack, have both gone on a roll at an opportune time.

TE AJ Barner against the 49ers secondary. With backup TE Elijah Arroyo out with a knee injury, Barner has received 18 targets over the past four games, racking up 12 catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns. However, he only has three catches for 14 yards on five targets in his two games against San Francisco this season. Considering QB Sam Darnold could be limited throwing down the field because of his oblique injury, Barner could be essential to helping Seattle's offense go.

Niners third down offense vs. Seahawks defense. The 49ers led the NFL by converting 49.8% of third downs in the regular season and were at 50% in their Week 1 win over the Seahawks. But Seattle did a much better job getting San Francisco off the field in the Week 18 rematch, allowing just two conversions on nine attempts. Winning third down could play a key part Saturday.

Seahawks: QB Sam Darnold (oblique) was limited in practice on Thursday, and is listed as questionable for Saturday. TE Elijah Arroyo (knee) and LB Chazz Surratt (ankle) are both out. T Charles Cross (hamstring, knee) is expected to return after missing three straight games, but was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. S Coby Bryant (knee) has also been a full participant in practice after Seattle’s last two games. LB Ernest Jones IV (illness) did not practice Wednesday and was a limited participant Thursday. CB Riq Woolen (oblique) has been a limited participant in practice this week. DE DeMarcus Lawrence (Achilles tendon) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and is expected to play on Saturday, according to coach Mike Macdonald.

49ers: TE George Kittle ruptured his Achilles tendon last week and is out for the season. ... S Ji'Ayir Brown (hamstring) is out after getting hurt last week. LB Fred Warner (ankle) is out despite returning to practice this week. ... WR Ricky Pearsall (knee) could return after missing the past two games with a knee injury. ... LB Dee Winters (ankle), LB Luke Gifford (quadriceps) and WR Jacob Cowing (hamstring) are listed as questionable this week.

The Seahawks and 49ers have met twice in the playoffs, first in the NFC championship game in the 2013 season that Seattle won 23-17, and most recently in the wild-card round in the 2022 season, which the Seahawks lost 41-23.

49ers: San Francisco is 4-0 in the divisional round under coach Kyle Shanahan and has won seven straight games in this round since losing to Tampa Bay in the 2002 season. ... The 49ers are 9-4 overall in the playoffs under Shanahan, who is one win shy of tying Bill Walsh and George Seifert for the most in franchise history. ... RB Christian McCaffrey has scored at least one TD in all eight playoff games he has played, one shy of Thurman Thomas' NFL record. McCaffrey had two TD catches last week to become the third RB in the past 30 seasons to do that in a playoff game. ... McCaffrey's 118.8 yards from scrimmage per game in the playoffs is fourth best all time among players with at least five playoff games. ... San Francisco has gone three straight games without a takeaway, tied for the third-longest drought for the franchise in the Super Bowl era. ... The 75 yards rushing last week for the 49ers were their fewest in a playoff win since they had 46 against Washington in the 1990 divisional round. ... WR Demarcus Robinson’s 111 yards receiving last week were the second most for a Niners player in a playoff game under Shanahan, trailing only Deebo Samuel's 133 against Seattle in the 2022 wild-card game.

Seahawks: Seattle earned its first division title since 2020, and 12th in franchise history.... The Seahawks have 14 wins for the first time in franchise history. The Seahawks previous franchise record for wins in a season was 13, which happened in the 2013 and 2005 seasons. Seattle won the Super Bowl after the 2013 season. Seattle went 10-7 last season and hasn’t had a losing season since 2021 under Pete Carroll. ... The Seahawks had five players selected to the 2025 All-Pro team, matching a franchise record, with WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba earning first-team honors and DT Leonard Williams, CB Devon Witherspoon, LB Ernest Jones IV, and P Michael Dickson making the second team. … Smith-Njigba, who leads the NFL in receiving yards this season, has also had 100 or more catches in consecutive seasons. He has 119 catches in the 2025 season. ... Seahawks TE A.J. Barner has set single-season career highs in receptions (52), yards (519) and touchdowns (six). … Ernest Jones IV had five interceptions this season for Seattle, tied for second most in the NFL.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan talks during a news conference after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Seattle Seahawks cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon (21) and Riq Woolen (27) react after stopping the San Francisco 49ers on downs during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

San Francisco 49ers' Brock Purdy, center, throws to Christian McCaffrey in the fourth quarter of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) rolls out to pass while pressured by San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Sam Okuayinonu (91) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Coach Steve Kerr spoke with Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga during the morning shootaround Thursday about the player's situation being out of the rotation for more than a month now with expectations he will be traded before the deadline next month.

“We talked this morning and that’s all private,” Kerr said. “I will keep coaching him, he’ll be part of the team, he’ll be here. It is what it is.”

Kerr discounted any issues between them as being reason Kuminga has reportedly requested a trade from the team after not being used in the last 14 games since Dec. 18 and 17 of 18 — though he has been listed as injured for nine games this season.

“Our relationship is fine,” Kerr said before Golden State's 126-113 win over the New York Knicks. “There's not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff. It is what it is, difficult situation for everybody and part of this league, part of the job. We just keep moving forward.”

Kuminga has been training much of the time on his own, shooting on the Warriors’ practice floor out of the eyes of fans at Chase Center. He wears a black hood over his head on the end of the bench during games. Perhaps Kuminga and the Warriors weren't a great fit from Day 1 — not that it's his fault — and he might be eager to leave and start fresh elsewhere. If so, the Golden State brass might want to make sure he doesn't get hurt before trying to trade him.

Yet nobody has taken issue with his work ethic, at least not publicly. Kuminga, selected seventh overall in the 2021 draft, has been known to stay long after games shooting on the arena's main floor.

“It’s not a distraction at all. It’s a very unique situation but our job is just to keep playing, keep winning, it’ll resolve itself one way or the other,” Stephen Curry said.

The 23-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has appeared in just 18 games total with 13 starts, averaging 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

On Sept. 30, he agreed to a two-year contract that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team were to exercise its option for 2026-27. Kuminga had had a $7.9 million qualifying offer in hand since June 29 but was also weighing other options and he missed media day.

He has long had the support and confidence of teammates — like Jimmy Butler saying he has been having Kuminga over and continuing to encourage him.

“We love JK in this locker room, that's not going to change,” Butler said postgame. “If he happens to not be in here, we'll still rock with JK. I speak for everybody. We love the guy. I wish him the best here, I wish him the best wherever. It doesn't change. We don't listen to the noise, I hope he don't listen to the noise he keep coming here with a smile doing what he's supposed to do and being the ultimate pro.”

Kuminga missed much of last season with a right ankle injury. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes over 47 games with 10 starts. He also scored 15.3 points per game over eight playoff games while shooting 48.4% from the floor and making 40% of his 3-point attempts. That included a career-best 30-point performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kerr said the uncertainty around Kuminga's future “won't be a distraction.”

“Jonathan's a great young guy, his teammates like him,” Kerr said. "He's handling himself well.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, middle, sits near the team bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in San Francisco, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) and Utah Jazz center Oscar Tshiebwe (34) swap jerseys after the Warriors defeat the Jazz during an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)