Thursday night ended in a 36-24 loss for Seattle vs. the 49ers. After a slow first half by the Seahawks, only scoring a field goal before halftime, Laviska Shenault Jr. was able to get the momentum going with a 97-yard kickoff return coming out of the locker room.
"Honestly, I think that was an energy boost," Shenault said. "I'm just glad I was able to get into the endzone. It felt good."
Leonard Williams on the kickoff return added, "Those big plays are huge. The team feeds off of it."
Shenault's 97-yard return helped keep Seattle in the ball game and changed the momentum around, but the Seahawks weren't able to finish the job.
"Special teams, it's really like our football team right now," head coach Mike Macdonald said. "They're doing a lot of good things that put us in chances, but then we're really hurting ourselves in certain phases. So, it's like a living in two extremes and so we have to balance it out and be a more consistent football team."
The kickoff return was the first for Seattle since Travis Homer's 44-yard return in 2021 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and this was the first kickoff returned for a touchdown of Shenault's career.
"It felt like a dream," he said. "It felt like I was dreaming. The way we were running this week, we had a guy let free and the plan was 'you be an athlete and make him miss and we'll get an extra block somewhere else.' After I made [one defender] miss, you can't really explain it, it just happened how it happened, and you see yourself running into the endzone."
Early into the second quarter, on a kick return, Shenault fumbled the ball after a 33-yard return.
"I've only had one other fumble in the league, and it was against [the 49ers], which is so crazy. I'm just glad I was able to make it right. It's still something I can't do, and something I can't put on tape at all."
Returning the ball 97 yards doesn't happen by accident, it comes with the team working together to make it happen.
"The whole team [gets credit]," Shenault said. "Yes, I'm the one who returned it 97 yards but if there's no one blocking, how would I return it? So, credit to everybody."
Shenault knew that when he could see the endzone, he had a chance to score.
"When I saw that endzone, anything is up for grabs, it's just hopefully you can get there before someone gets to you," Adding, "When I saw the kicker [I knew I had a chance to get a touchdown]. Once you see the kicker, it's almost a 100 percent chance you can make him miss."
Must-see shots of the Seahawks at their Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (1) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (1) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (1) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (1) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson (0) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Jerome Baker (17) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Jerome Baker (17) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) and Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) and Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks tackle Jarran Reed (90) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (1) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) and Seahawks center Connor Williams (57) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) and Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) and Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (1) and Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown (86) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
