49ers aim to make Sam Darnold’s life ‘difficult’ in Week 1

The San Francisco 49ers defense will look to challenge quarterback Sam Darnold when the team opens the 2025 regular season against the Seattle Seahawks. Last season, Darnold faced the 49ers while with the Minnesota Vikings, completing 17 of 26 passes for 268 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

After helping the Vikings to a 14-3 record in 2024, Darnold parlayed that success into a lucrative three-year contract with the Seahawks. Linebacker Fred Warner, who recorded that Darnold interception last season, hopes to force even more turnovers this Sunday.

"Yeah, just make his life difficult," Warner said Wednesday. "I think if they're able to really sustain the run game throughout the game, and let him play in rhythm with the boots, the screen game, not getting pressure on him, I think that would make it a hard and long day for us. So, we've got to be on top of that and make his life difficult."

The 49ers' only division win last season came on the road against Seattle. San Francisco has won three straight games at Lumen Field and aims to extend that streak to four on Sunday.

Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, a newly named team captain, will rely on his familiarity with Darnold.

"He was here, so I kind of know what kind of quarterback he is," Lenoir said. "And he's very talented, but we've just got to keep the pressure on him."

Head coach Kyle Shanahan also sees similarities between the Seahawks' offense and what offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has accomplished in the past with other teams, including with the 49ers in 2023, when he served as the team's passing game coordinator.

"I think there's some similarities," Shanahan said. "It's always different how you adjust to your players, but I know they're going to be a balanced team that wants to put Sam in some good situations and give that ball to their good running backs. Then it usually comes down to third down, so it's real similar to us.

"There's window dressing that's different, but the way that they want a game to go, I think it's going to be very similar to how we want it to go."

Victory at Lumen Field will not come easily. Warner acknowledges the challenge of playing in one of the loudest stadiums in the league, especially for younger players and rookies who will be relied upon early following significant offseason roster turnover.

"It's a real challenge—not even just for young guys, but for old guys too," Warner admitted. "You've got to remember the situation that you're in, not making it bigger than it needs to be. You're amped up, you're ready to go, it's a hostile environment, everything around you.

"You've just got to be able to close in and really focus on taking it one play at a time, relying on your fundamentals, your keys, things that you work on throughout the week, and just putting it into play on Sunday."

Shanahan, focused on this week's game plan, was reminded by a reporter that the 49ers have won three consecutive games in Seattle.

"I didn't know that until you just said that," Shanahan commented. "I know to win in Seattle, with how loud it is, you have to be on the cadence, and on the noise and all that stuff. That's the first way to lose a game when you go up there. I've done that plenty of times, not just here, but other places when I've gone there in my career.

"So, historically it's been one of the toughest places to play noise-wise, and if you don't have that handled, sometimes it doesn't even matter what happens in the game."

Warner emphasized that younger players must stay composed and not let the moment overwhelm them.

"You see the fans in the stands, just how loud it is in that stadium, the emotions of a Week 1, and guys having not been out there before, possibly in their first game," Warner said. "But you just got to really be able to focus on one play at a time. Just rely on your technique, and the things that have got you to this point, and don't make the moment bigger than what it is."