Less than two years after he led the sale of the Boston Celtics, former governor Wyc Grousbeck is making a play for another major American sports franchise. This time, he wants to break into the gridiron.

According to Ben Horney of Front Office Sports, Grousbeck and Celtics minority owner Aditya Mittal represent one party bidding to purchase the Seattle Seahawks. They have emerged as one of the top contenders for a deal expected to break NFL franchise sale records.

The other big party is led by billionaire Vinod Khosla, who is a minority investor in the San Francisco 49ers. Horney also reported that one of the two finalist groups includes an unnamed former Seahawks player.

He also claimed that the race to buy the Super Bowl LX champions appears to have narrowed significantly. 

Some names are no longer in the mix. One of them was Todd Boehly, who is part of the Los Angeles Lakers ownership group, as well as those of the Los Angeles Sparks and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Wyc Grousbeck ran the Celtics ownership group from 2002 until the franchise was sold in 2025. Bill Chisholm became the new controlling owner, and Grousbeck remained with the organization as CEO and a minority owner to oversee the transition through 2028.

Aditya Mittal is the CEO of global steel giant ArcelorMittal. He is the son of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and a key investor who reportedly contributed about $1 billion toward Chisholm’s purchase of the Celtics. Mittal currently serves as the Celtics’ alternate governor.  

The Seahawks officially went on the market in February 2026, following the wishes of late owner Paul Allen. Until now, his sister, Jody Allen, has overseen the team since Paul died in 2018. 

What’s next?

If Wyc Grousbeck and Mittal successfully purchase the Seahawks, they are expected to retain their current minority ownership roles with the Celtics. The bid would not affect Bill Chisholm’s status as the Celtics’ controlling owner, as it would expand Grousbeck’s presence from the NBA into NFL ownership while maintaining ties to Boston’s front office.

Final due diligence and negotiations are expected before the NFL owners vote on approving any transaction. The expectation around the league is that the deal could be completed before the start of the upcoming NFL season if negotiations stay on schedule. 

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detail view of the Seattle Seahawks helmet before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn ImagesThe NFL requires that one individual own at least a 30% stake to become the controlling owner. Per Sportico, because Mittal lives in London, Grousbeck would spend significant time in Seattle, handling much of the franchise’s day-to-day oversight.  

Reports estimate that the Seahawks could sell for around $9 billion. That will potentially break the NFL record set by the Washington Commanders ($6.05 billion). Additionally, it could also compete with the $10 billion-worth sale of the LA Lakers.