Santa Clara—In the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, Brock Purdy and the 49ers offense were orchestrating a drive that looked like it had the potential to turn into a touchdown-scoring drive. San Francisco had strung together a handful of big chunk plays of 20, 11, 10, and 16 yards, along with two run plays of four and three yards, respectively, that set them up at the Seahawks six-yard line. They look all but ready to score until Drake Thomas picked off Purdy.
Thomas said, “I’m one on one. I know he’s got an option route on me and honestly, he probably beats me to the corner, but I think [LB Boye] Mafe might have gotten a piece of the ball. He said he did and kind of changed the direction of it. It hit off his back shoulder and bounced right into my hands.”
Coaching Perspective on the Defensive Stand
Coach of Seahawks Mike Macdonald said, “The 49ers popped a few plays on that drive, but our guys stayed with it. AD (defensive coordinator Aden Durde) was telling me in the headset to stay calm and keep playing. It was a team effort, and Boye (Mafe) had an assist on that play. I think it was one of those moments where the ball finds energy. Drake has been playing great football for us, and he deserves a massive shout-out. (Christian) McCaffrey is obviously a great back, so to make a play like that was big.”
The ball that bounced into the air before Thomas was able to make a play on it and Ernest Jones IV said it was a, “tough play.”
“I mean, honestly, when you’re out there in man coverage with Christian McCaffrey, you just don’t want the ball to come his way. But when it does, to be able to make a play on the ball and get a turnover, that’s big, man. So shout out to my boy Drizzy (Drake Thomas), man.”
Seahawks React to the Clutch Moment
“Just sparked everybody,” Nwosu said. “Offense got the ball and they went and did their thing. Drake came in clutch for us. He’s played well all season, so I’m happy to see him have his moment.”
Thomas, who was mostly a special teams player for Seattle in both 2023 and 2024 was able to get a lot of playing time in the starting lineup this season because of injuries.
Jones IV said, “I tried to tell them early, man. Tried to tell them. Drake, man. Everybody in that room can go play, man. That’s why when those games that I was down, you couldn’t really tell because those guys go through and they play. But Drake, man, the consistency, the hard work that he’s put in and the way he’s challenged everybody in that room to get better, it’s been great and I’m happy for Drake.”
A Breakout Season for Thomas
“He’s been playing lights out too,” Leonard Williams said. “Like you said, there’s been a lot of guys stepping up in critical moments, guys that have been stepping up when guys are injured and things like that. And every time it’s happened, they’ve done a great job in that spot. And it’s just kept proving more and more confidence in those guys when they’re out there. And the one thing I’ve seen about Drake is since I’ve been here. He works the same regardless of if he was going to be starting or not. And it’s cool to see his chances and opportunities come.”
Ari Horton, Seahawks.com Writer