Khosla family reaches $9.6 billion deal to buy Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks said the Khosla family would become controlling owner, pending NFL approval of a sale tied to Paul Allen’s estate.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
The Khosla family has agreed to buy the Seattle Seahawks in a deal valued at $9.612 billion, according to a person familiar with the agreement who spoke to the Associated Press. If NFL owners approve it, the sale would move the defending Super Bowl champions out of Paul Allen’s estate and top the $6.05 billion price paid for the Washington Commanders in 2023.
The Seahawks announced Saturday that the team is being sold to the family, including Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla, in keeping with the wishes of late owner Paul Allen. In a social media post, the team said the Khosla family would become the Seahawks’ controlling owner.
The person familiar with the deal told the AP the purchase agreement is formal but still needs league approval. ESPN reported that NFL owners are expected to meet in August to consider ratifying the final agreement.
Khosla said in a statement that the family was honored to be trusted with the Seahawks and planned to build on the legacy Allen established while earning the confidence of the organization and its fans.
A tech investor moves into NFL control
Vinod Khosla founded Khosla Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Forbes reported this month that his net worth is $13.7 billion.
Forbes has said Khosla Ventures backs experimental technology companies in areas including biomedicine and robotics, and that it was the first venture firm to invest in OpenAI. The Seahawks deal would require the Khosla family to give up its minority ownership stake in the San Francisco 49ers, according to the AP.
Khosla joined the 49ers ownership group in 2025 by buying 3.1% of the team, the AP reported. NFL ownership rules and the pending Seahawks purchase mean that stake must be relinquished as part of the transaction.
Allen estate continues sports sales
Allen’s estate said on Feb. 18 that it had started the process of selling the Seahawks, according to the AP. Allen & Company LLC and Latham & Watkins handled the sale process, which was expected at the time to run through the offseason.
Paul Allen, a Microsoft cofounder, bought the Seahawks in 1997 from Ken Behring for $194 million, according to the AP. Allen was considered central to keeping the franchise in Seattle, and the AP reported that the team is expected to remain there after the sale closes.
The Seahawks’ lease at Lumen Field runs through 2032 and includes three 10-year options, according to the AP. The team won its second Super Bowl title in February, beating the New England Patriots 29-13.
Since Allen died in 2018 at age 65 from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the Seahawks and the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers have been owned by his sister, Jody Allen, through the estate, the AP reported. In September, the estate agreed to sell the Trail Blazers to an investment group led by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon; the AP reported that the deal calls for the team to stay in Portland and still awaits approval from the NBA Board of Governors.
The most recent NFL franchise sale was the Commanders transaction in 2023, when a group led by Josh Harris and including Magic Johnson bought the team from Dan Snyder and his family for $6.05 billion, according to the AP.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.