Who Are The Seattle Seahawks' Biggest Rivals?

Since their establishment in 1974, with their first game occurring in 1976, the Seattle Seahawks have been one of the most successful franchises in the National Football League, especially since the turn of the century. Over the course of their history, the Seahawks have appeared in the NFL postseason 20 times, with 15 of those appearances coming after 2002. They’ve won the NFC West Division Title (which is their current division) 11 times and took home a Super Bowl win in 2013.

They’ve ridden many ups and downs, and along the way, developed rivalries with a few different teams. Like many other teams, the Seahawk’s chief rivals are within their own division: in this case, the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. However, they have a young rivalry with a team outside their division in the Denver Broncos.

San Francisco 49ers

Without a doubt, the San Francisco 49ers are the biggest rivals of the Seattle Seahawks. Being a divisional opponent, the teams have the opportunity to face off twice a year, which only makes the rivalry stronger. The all-time record swings in favor of the Seahawks, with the Seattle-based team winning 30 games to the 49ers’ 20. In the playoffs, however, the teams are tied at one win against each other.

The rivalry between the two teams grew especially hot during the early 2010s, when both teams were playing at extremely high levels. Between 2010 and 2014, both teams were capable of making deep playoff runs. In the four seasons between 2011 and 2014, every NFC Championship game involved either the Seahawks or the 49ers. In the case of the 2013-2014 NFC Championship, it involved both, as the two squared off against each other in Seattle with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake. The game was a dramatic contest in which the Seahawks won 23-17, partly thanks to an iconic interception by the Seahawks in their own end zone. The Seahawks would go on to beat the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.

In the 2022-2023 season, the two teams faced off again in the playoffs during the Wild Card Round, but this time, the 49ers easily handled the Seahawks, winning 41-23. The rivalry between the Seahawks and the 49ers doesn’t look like it will cool down any time soon.

Los Angeles Rams

Like the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams are another divisional rival that provides a consistent challenge for the Seahawks. The two teams have met a total of 51 times, and they are quite even. The Seahawks have won 27 of their matchups compared to 24 in favor of the Rams. However, they’ve met twice in the postseason, and the Rams have won both times. Their most recent playoff matchup was in the 2020-2021 Wild Card Round, which the Rams won 30-20 before going on to lose to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round.

Seeing as both teams were competitive in the 2010s, their divisional matchups always carried high stakes for both teams. Over the years, the teams have also had numerous scuffles on the field, which only adds fuel to their rivalry. 

Denver Broncos

Despite not being in the same division, the modern rivalry between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks continues to blossom. The rivalry began in 2013, with both teams entering the Super Bowl with extremely high expectations. That season, Denver was touted as having perhaps the greatest offense of all time, while Seattle had one of the best defenses in the history of the league. The hype for the Super Bowl was at a fever pitch by the start of the game, and it ended in surprising fashion, with the Russell Wilson-led Seahawks putting up a ton of offense and winning 43-8.

In 2022, however, the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson away to none other than the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster trade. Many of the Seattle faithful felt betrayed by the Seahawks and Wilson both. The first game of the 2022-2023 season saw the two teams pitted against each other on Monday Night Football. Again, anticipation had reached a peak, and the Seahawks took home the win in exciting fashion, triumphing 17-16. The rivalry between the two teams is thanks to their uniquely intertwined history, and it will be interesting to see how it develops in the future.

FAQ