Seahawks Sale Rumors Swirl Ahead Of Super Bowl LX

The Seattle Seahawks, one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, have found themselves at the center of swirling rumors and speculation as Super Bowl LX approaches. On January 30, 2026, ESPN reporters Seth Wickersham and Brady Henderson dropped a bombshell, reporting that the Seahawks would be put up for sale following their February 8 Super Bowl showdown against the New England Patriots. The potential price tag? A staggering $7 to $8 billion, a figure that could shatter NFL records and send ripples throughout the sports world.

But in the fast-moving world of professional sports, not everything is as it seems. The Paul G. Allen Estate, which has overseen the Seahawks since the passing of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2018, quickly issued a strong rebuttal to ESPN’s claims. In a statement provided to multiple outlets, the estate declared, “We don’t comment on rumors or speculation, and the team is not for sale. We’ve already said that will change at some point per Paul’s wishes, but there is no news to share. Our focus right now is winning the Super Bowl and completing the sale of the Portland Trail Blazers in the coming months.”

This isn’t the first time the future of the Seahawks has come under the microscope. Ever since Paul Allen’s death, the fate of his sports empire—including both the Seahawks and the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers—has been a topic of keen interest. Allen’s will was clear: both franchises would eventually be sold, with the proceeds directed to charity. Jody Allen, Paul’s sister, has been the executor of the estate and the public face of the teams since 2018. She’s made it clear on several occasions that while a sale will happen someday, there’s no predetermined timeline. “The time will come when that changes given Paul’s plans to dedicate the vast majority of his wealth to philanthropy,” she stated back in 2022. “But estates of this size and complexity can take 10 to 20 years to wind down. There is no preordained timeline by which the teams must be sold.”

So, what’s fueling these latest rumors? According to ESPN’s original report, discussions about a potential sale have taken place at both the ownership and league levels for at least a week prior to January 30. The Wall Street Journal quickly followed, citing sources who suggested that “a sale process is expected to begin shortly after the season ends” and that the transaction could set a new NFL record. While the estate’s statement doesn’t deny that a sale could happen after the Super Bowl, it firmly maintains that the team is not currently on the market.

Adding another wrinkle to the story is the recent sale of the Portland Trail Blazers. Announced in March 2025 and expected to close by March 2026, the NBA franchise is being sold to a group led by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon for more than $4 billion. The estate’s focus, according to their statement, is on completing that transaction before turning attention to the Seahawks—a far more valuable asset by all accounts. Sportico’s valuation last fall pegged the Seahawks at $6.59 billion, ranking them 14th among NFL teams, but insiders believe the final sale price could easily top $7 billion.

The Seahawks’ journey under Paul Allen’s stewardship has been nothing short of remarkable. Allen purchased the team in 1997 for $194 million (some reports cite $200 million), rescuing it from a potential move to Los Angeles and ensuring its future in Seattle. The deal was contingent on building a new stadium, which led to the construction of Lumen Field—now the roaring home of the 12s, the team’s famously passionate fanbase. Since then, the Seahawks have enjoyed a golden era, highlighted by back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2014 and 2015, and a dominant 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos to claim their first Lombardi Trophy in 2014.

Jody Allen’s leadership has been steady, if somewhat reserved. She’s been a visible presence at key moments, most recently raising the 12 Flag before the NFC Championship Game and accepting the George S. Halas Trophy after the Seahawks’ thrilling 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Coach Mike Macdonald, who joined the Seahawks ahead of this season, spoke glowingly of Allen’s involvement. “The thing that sticks out to me about Jody was her enthusiasm about where she wanted our team to be, our franchise to be, as a vision of the Seattle Seahawks, and that was during our interview process,” Macdonald told reporters. “Honestly, that’s really where I was like, ‘OK, this is something I feel really strongly about, that I think that I could help create that.’ So everything, I think, has been through that lens, and it’s very clear of what type of team she wants, and she’s been incredibly supportive.”

Macdonald revealed that he and Allen meet weekly via Zoom, with Allen offering “piercing questions” that cut straight to the heart of the team’s performance and direction. “She’s been awesome. We meet weekly. It’s like a piercing question that gets right to the point and it’s helpful. When you look at it through that lens of we’re going in the same direction here, it really has been.”

The speculation about a sale has only intensified since the expiration of a unique provision tied to the construction of Lumen Field. For years, any sale of the Seahawks would have required the new owner to pay 10% of the sale price to the state of Washington—a clause that expired in May 2025, removing a major hurdle and opening the door for a potential blockbuster transaction. Yet, as the estate’s statement makes clear, there’s no rush. The process of selling such a valuable and complex asset is expected to take months, if not years.

The Allen estate itself is a behemoth, valued at over $20 billion at the time of Paul Allen’s death. In addition to the sports teams, the estate has been liquidating a wide array of assets, from luxury real estate and superyachts to a world-class art collection. Proceeds have been channeled into philanthropic endeavors, including the new Fund for Science and Technology, which launched in August with a $3.1 billion endowment and plans to fund at least $500 million in grants for bioscience, environmental research, and artificial intelligence.

For now, Seahawks fans and the wider NFL community are left in a state of anticipation. Will the team be sold in the immediate aftermath of Super Bowl LX, or will the Allen family’s stewardship continue for a while longer? One thing is certain: the eyes of the football world will be firmly fixed on Seattle—not just for their pursuit of another championship, but for what could be a historic shift in the franchise’s ownership. As the estate has emphasized, “Our focus right now is winning the Super Bowl and completing the sale of the Portland Trail Blazers in the coming months.” Until there’s official word, the speculation will continue—but the Seahawks’ legacy, built under Paul Allen’s vision and Jody Allen’s guidance, remains as strong as ever.