Vinod Khosla’s first turn as Seahawks owner is already producing a storyline, and it has nothing to do with a depth chart or a draft board.
Instead, the new owner has found himself in the middle of a reaction cycle after saying at his first press conference that he was, and still is, a Steelers fan.
Khosla did not back away from that comment. He pushed back on the criticism Tuesday on Twitter, writing: “Reporters will make every molehill into a mountain just to get column inches to write or video minutes,” Khosla said on Twitter.
“What’s wrong with admitting my 1976-78 period in Pittsburgh (CMU) got me excited about the NFL? I still watch their games doesn’t mean I won’t unconditionally ALWAYS as owner, want the [Seahawks] to win and have every edge up, EVERY TIME over every other team!!!!
Zero questions!!! At the other end is a set of teams I always want to lose every advantage.
But happy to have the sports writer getting more column inches and fill their pages. You are welcome.
Apologies in advance for my very transparent style.”
His post appeared above a repost of a Barstool Sports tweet that said: “What not to do during your opening press conference as the new Seahawks owner? Reveal you’ve been a Steelers fan your whole life and still watch all of their games.”
The point of the backlash was never that Khosla can’t be loyal to Seattle now. It was that he volunteered the Steelers connection on his own, and did it in the same setting where he was introducing himself to Seahawks fans as the team’s owner.
He framed it as a “little-known fact” while talking about his love of football. “ 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 line, more than anything else, set off the reaction.
No one had challenged his commitment to the Seahawks. No one was questioning whether he would be all-in as owner. The issue was simply that he chose to put the Steelers fandom front and center at his opening press conference.
Even his son seemed to register the awkwardness in the moment. On the video, Neal Khosla had just enough of a crack in his poker face to suggest a thought along the lines of, “Dad. Don’t.”
Now that criticism has become the next chapter in Khosla’s public introduction, and it may not be the last one. He appears to be active on social media, which means more of these moments could be coming.
At least he didn’t finish with, “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
In Other News...
Seahawks Fans May Not Love What Their New Owner Just Admitted
The Seahawks are entering a new era with the NFL approving the sale of the franchise to Vinod Khosla, who is buying the team from Paul Allen in a league-record $9.6 billion deal. Khosla, a billionaire entrepreneur, is taking over one of the leagues most recognizable teams with a long-term mindset, and his stated goal is simple enough for Seattle fans to embrace: win another Super Bowl.
Still, the transition comes with a reminder that ownership changes can reshape more than the balance sheet. Khosla also plans to give up his stake in the San Francisco 49ers as part of the purchase, underscoring how quickly his attention will shift fully to Seattle. For Seahawks fans, the bigger question now is how that patient approach will show up in the decisions ahead, especially with expectations already tied to the franchises championship standard. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Defender Just Fueled The Sam Darnold Debate Again
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The bigger test comes immediately, with Seattle set to open its title defense in a rematch against the New England Patriots. For a team trying to prove last season was no fluke, that first game will say plenty about how smoothly the Seahawks can move forward without Kubiak and how much faith they really have in Darnold to steady everything again when the pressure starts piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Defense May Be Leaning Into A Dangerous New Identity
Brian Baldinger spent some time breaking down what Mike Macdonalds defense looked like at its most aggressive, and the Seahawks did not hide much when the pressure ramps up. In the Super Bowl, Seattle leaned harder into blitz looks than it had during the regular season, with the idea being to force quarterbacks into faster decisions and make the rest of the coverage package play up. It also fit the way Devon Witherspoon was deployed, with the cornerback sending more heat and helping create the kind of disruption that changes a drive.
The bigger question is whether that approach becomes a defining trait for Seattle moving forward. Baldinger suggested the Seahawks could keep leaning on disguises and blitzes to hunt quarterbacks, which makes sense when the front can get home and the coverage can survive behind it. It also carries real risk, though, because every extra rusher opens a door somewhere else, and the line between controlled aggression and giving up a big play can be thin. [Read more 🡒]