The second season of the Mike Macdonald era starts with a chance for the Seattle Seahawks to make a statement.
The Seahawks open 2025 at home Sept. 7 against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers with a chance to gain the upper hand in the NFC West right away. The Seahawks won’t face the 49ers again until they travel to Levi’s Stadium for their final game of the season.
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That scheduling quirk is something that caught the attention of Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus for a good reason.
“I love that you get the Niners early and you get them late, because the last few years it felt like we played them like back-to-back weeks,” Bumpus said during his Four Down Territory segment on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.
Last season the Seahawks and 49ers had five weeks (three games and a bye week) between their matchups, and in 2023 it was just two weeks (one game).
“The reason why I like this (year’s schedule) is because you get a shot at a contender,” Bumpus said. “You guys get to match up early, see what you’re made of, go through the full season, people (get) hurt, you got to adjust, you got film on those guys, and then you end the season with the 49ers as well.”
Seattle also had just two weeks between games with the Arizona Cardinals last year. This year the Seahawks’ closest matchups with the same divisional foe is five weeks apart (at the Rams on Nov. 16 and home against the Rams on Dec. 18).
“Just spread the divisional opponents out a little bit,” Bumpus said. “Let us go through some other divisions and play those guys, and let’s be able to adjust and get better and work that way. I hate it when this so close. I’m like, ‘Come on. We’re playing the same team.’ There’s been no change. There’s been no real development going on.
“So I like that you got the Niners early, you got them late. It gives you a chance to grow and kind of see what they’re doing.”
Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
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