As of May 19, 2026, Polymarket's 'Who will buy the Seattle Seahawks' study lists 25 percent for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, 4 percent for Facebook (now Meta) founder Mark Zuckerberg, 3 percent for Apple CEO Tim Cook, and 3 percent for NBA legend LeBron James.
Jeff Bezos and the Seattle Seahawks: A Seven-Year Saga
Jeff Bezos, who married Emmy Award-winning journalist Lauren Sanchez last year, has been heavily linked as the primary suitor to buy an NFL team, the Seattle Seahawks, for years. The connection began in 2019. Lauren Sanchez has NFL roots too; she dated NFL player Tony Gonzalez over two decades ago, and they share a 25-year-old son, Nikko Gonzalez, whom they co-parent.
New York Post's Nicolas Vega reported in November 2019 that Jeff Bezos could be interested in buying an NFL team playing in his own backyard. Amazon's headquarters is just 1.5 miles away from the Seattle Seahawks stadium. Jeff Bezos has lived in Seattle for 30 years and founded Amazon from his garage in the Seattle area in 1994. If he purchases the team, it will keep the franchise in the hands of a 'local tech billionaire.'
Billionaire sports team owner Mark Cuban told CNBC in 2019, 'The NFL could probably use him [Jeff Bezos]. He's smart. He's successful. He's got a lot of money. Those would be the requirements.'
Formal Sale Process Begins
Seven years and a Super Bowl win later, the Estate of Paul G. Allen, owner of the Seattle Seahawks, announced that the formal sale process of the franchise has begun. Investment bank Allen & Company and law firm Latham & Watkins will lead the sale process, which will continue through the 2026 offseason. The late Paul Allen, a Microsoft co-founder, purchased the Seattle Seahawks in 1997.
Jeff Bezos's Interest and Net Worth
In 2022, Jeff Bezos told CNN that football is his favorite sport. When asked about purchasing a franchise, he said, 'We'll just have to wait and see.' Back then, the Washington Commanders were up for sale, but Bezos did not show any interest. The team was purchased by Josh Harris for $6 billion. For comparison, the NBA's Boston Celtics was sold for $6.1 billion in March 2025, and the Los Angeles Lakers for a whopping $10 billion in June 2025.
The total estimated worth of the Seattle Seahawks is $6.75 billion as of August 2025, according to Forbes. On May 9, 2026, Jeff Bezos listed his $500 million superyacht for sale, as reported by Benzinga. As of May 19, 2026, Forbes lists Jeff Bezos' real-time net worth as $272.1 billion.
Potential Conflict of Interest
But there is a catch: through Amazon Prime Video, Jeff Bezos broadcasts NFL's Thursday Night Football matchups. Would that be a conflict of interest? Is that what is stopping him from taking the plunge? We have all 2026 offseason to wait and watch.
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About the Author
Dr. Arati Kulkarni Srivastava spent six years studying medicine and three years in management, but her passion for writing was too strong to ignore. Having been a vice-captain for her college's cricket team all four years, she was no stranger to an NFL quarterback's competitive spirit. She creates compelling football stories that leave a mark on the readers' hearts, not just their minds. Every morning, she begins her day by flipping through the pages of the TOI sports section to see who scored how much. In the evenings, she indulges in solving intriguing mysteries in the elite world of Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU. The sea of Mumbai brings her a sense of tranquility, and nothing soothes her soul quite like Kishore Kumar's melodies.
