The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are obviously going to be longtime rivals. The two teams, along with the Los Angeles Rams (the Arizona Cardinals are also in the division but don't really count), have battled for the NFC West crown and will likely continue to do so. But don't be misled into thinking there isn't mutual respect between the teams. There is.
Some of that stems from past seasons between players not even related to the Seahawks or 49ers at the time. This is true of San Francisco star running back Christian McCaffrey and Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold. Both played for San Fran in 2023, sure, but more importantly, they played together with the Carolina Panthers before that.
It was there that McCaffrey first gained respect for Darnold, even though the quarterback was yet to perform at a peak level. For the running back, Darnold was simply to be respected for his skill as a player, but how he handled himself as a person.
49ers' Christian McCaffrey speaks the truth about Seattle Seahawks' Sam Darnold
McCaffrey didn't mince words when speaking to reporters during the media week lead-up to Super Bowl LX, where Seattle will take on the New England Patriots. When asked about the quarterback, McCaffrey was clear.
"I remember when people asked me about Sam when I first met him in Carolina, from the jump, I was like, 'This guy is a dude,'" McCaffrey said. "...And then you're around him more, and you're like, 'This is one of the best players I've ever been around. Period.' It's because of how talented his arm is. He's way more athletic than people give him credit for. And he's really good at taking what is given to him and doing his job."
The All-Pro running back also expanded his answer to say that Darnold was a friend of his, and he obviously valued him more as a person than a player. But this isn't the first time Seattle Seahawks fans have heard those sentiments.
In 2025, his first year in Seattle, Darnold has had teammates rave about him. Unlike the emotionally volatile Geno Smith, the team's QB1 for the previous three seasons, Darnold has an even-keel approach. Even though he has had many detractors who doubt that the quarterback would ever be great in big games, he has disproven that theory this postseason.
While Sam Darnold is internally driven to succeed, he also doesn't lash out at those who have said negative things about him. He will never, for instance, imply he was written off and then say, "I didn't write back." Instead, the Seahawks quarterback simply keeps winning and being a nice person. 12s couldn't want anything more.