Prior to 2002, the 49ers led the all-time series 4–2, but since they became NFC West division rivals in 2002, the Seahawks lead the series 24–13. The rivalry was once considered insignificant, due to the two teams having little history against each other and with both suffering significant stretches of mediocrity. For example, while the Seahawks won four straight division titles from 2004–2007, the 49ers finished in third or fourth place each season and did not have a winning season from 2003–2010. Likewise, the Seahawks suffered four straight losing seasons from 2008–2011. Despite their stretch of mediocrity, the Seahawks have remained competitive in games against the 49ers in those years, especially games at CenturyLink Field, where their worst loss to the 49ers there was by only ten points in. The rivalry intensified in 2011, when long-standing college rival coaches—former USC coach Pete Carroll and former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh—took over as head coaches, with Carroll becoming the Seahawks' coach in, and Harbaugh becoming the 49ers coach in. Both teams drafted young, mobile quarterbacks to lead their franchises, Seattle's Russell Wilson and San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick. Both coaches turned their respective franchises into perennial playoff contenders, and from 2010 to 2014, either the Seahawks or the 49ers won the NFC West championship. The two teams met in the in Seattle with a trip to Super Bowl XLVIIIon the line, with the Seahawks winning 23–17. The game ended when Seahawks' cornerbackRichard Sherman, whom Harbaugh previously coached at Stanford, tipped an end zone pass that led to a game-ending interception. Sherman had his famous postgame interview immediately afterwards, calling out 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree and claiming to be the "best corner in the game". Seattle went on to defeat the Denver Broncos 43–8 in Super Bowl XLVIII to win their first Super Bowl championship. San Francisco had represented the NFC in a losing effort in Super Bowl XLVII the previous season. Since drafting Russell Wilson in 2012, the Seahawks have dominated the rivalry, holding a 13–4 record against the 49ers in that span. However, in the final week of the 2019 regular season, the 49ers beat the Seahawks to claim the division title and top seed in the NFC. The 49ers then won two home playoff games to advance to Super Bowl LIV, where they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs 31-20.
