Billionaire investor Vinod Khosla officially took the reins of the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, but his first press conference as an NFL owner came with a confession that might not sit well with the 12s.
After the league's owners unanimously approved his purchase, Khosla revealed a long-held secret: he's been a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan since he first arrived in the United States in 1976 — and that allegiance hasn't faded.
“I also happened to come to this country in ’76 when the Steelers were winning Super Bowls,” Khosla said. “So, actually, I was originally, and still am, a big Steelers fan also — a little-known fact — but I still watch all the Steelers games, too.”
That admission lands like a steel curtain on Seahawks fans' memories of Super Bowl XL, where Seattle fell to Pittsburgh amid controversial officiating that many still believe cost them the title. The 20-year-old wound hasn't healed for many in the Pacific Northwest, and now their new boss is rooting for the enemy.
Khosla isn't the first owner to harbor feelings for another franchise. Minnesota Vikings co-owner Zygi Wilf once admitted he'd “always be, deep inside, a Giants fan,” a nod to his New York roots. So while the revelation may raise eyebrows, it's hardly unprecedented in the NFL.
The tech titan, who co-founded Sun Microsystems and later became a venture capital powerhouse, has a history of bold moves. He backed companies like Square, DoorDash, Instacart, and OpenAI through his firm Khosla Ventures. But his latest venture into football ownership comes with a twist: he previously owned a 3% stake in the San Francisco 49ers, which he'll now divest.
Seahawks fans might take solace in the fact that Khosla's business acumen suggests he'll be fully committed to winning in Seattle. But they might also want to keep an eye on his game-day viewing habits — especially when the Seahawks and Steelers meet.
As for the Steelers, they've gained an unlikely fan in the owner of a division rival. But with Khosla's track record of contrarian investments, perhaps this is just another calculated bet — one that could pay off if he brings a Lombardi Trophy to Seattle.
