The Seattle Seahawks are coming into a new ownership era with a family that has deep ties to football.
One of those ties happens to run through another NFL franchise.
Incoming Seahawks owner Vinod Khosla revealed that he remains a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, even as his family prepares to take control of Seattle following a record-setting purchase.
“I was originally and still am a big Steelers fan,” Khosla said during his introductory press conference. “Little-known fact, but I still watch all the Steelers games, too.”
Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team shared the comments on X on Thursday.
Khosla explained that he arrived in the United States in 1976, a period when Pittsburgh was in the middle of its dominant run under Chuck Noll.
The disclosure adds an entertaining note to an ownership transition that came about officially when NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of the Seahawks on Wednesday for a reported $9.612 billion, the highest sale price for a franchise in league history.
Khosla Brings Long NFL Fandom to Seahawks
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 08: (L-R) Dan Klein and Vinod Khosla speak onstage during the “Super Reliability vs. Super Intelligence” panel at the HumanX Conference San Franciso 2026 Moscone Center South on April 08, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Big Event Media/Getty Images for HumanX Conference)
Khosla’s attachment to Pittsburgh predates his connection to the Seahawks by roughly five decades.
The Steelers won four Super Bowls during a six-season span between the 1974 and 1979 campaigns. Khosla arrived in the United States right in the middle of that stretch, giving him a fairly understandable entry point into NFL fandom.
His family’s involvement with football became more direct over time. The Khoslas previously held a minority stake in the San Francisco 49ers, and Khosla said his family spent decades attending games.
“We’ve been very passionate about football for a long time,” Khosla said, per an Associated Press and Reuters report. He estimated that his family attended about half of San Francisco’s home games dating back to when his son, Neal, was 5 years old.
The family will now move from minority ownership to stewardship of one of the NFL’s most valuable franchises.
The Seahawks announced that Wednesday’s unanimous vote brought the transaction “one big step closer to completion.” The deal still has to formally close, with the transition’s completion on track before the regular season.
That leaves Khosla in the unique position of taking over the defending Super Bowl champions while openly acknowledging that one of his old rooting interests remains intact.
Seahawks’ New Owners Plan Long-Term Approach
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – FEBRUARY 11: Head coach Mike McDonald of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans during the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl LX victory celebration and parade at Lumen Field on February 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Any lingering Steelers fandom figures to become a footnote compared with what Khosla and his family inherit in Seattle.
The Seahawks are coming off their second Super Bowl championship and have an established football operation led by head coach Mike Macdonald and president of football operations/general manager John Schneider.
Khosla made clear during Wednesday’s press conference that he doesn’t intend to overhaul a franchise that is winning.
“The task ahead is actually pretty simple — keep the winning streak alive, get another Super Bowl,” Khosla said, via Seahawks.com. “In general, our approach is generally going to be long-term focused.”
He also stressed that the family plans to spend its early ownership period learning from the organization’s existing leadership.
That stance could reassure a fan base watching its first ownership change in nearly three decades. Paul Allen purchased the franchise in 1997, and his estate continued overseeing the team following his death in 2018.
The Khosla family arrives with considerable expectations after paying an NFL-record price, but it also inherits a stacked roster.
Seattle opens its title defense Sept. 9 against the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch.
Seattle Seahawks’ New Owner Reveals Surprising NFL Allegiance