Vinod Khosla wasted little time revealing an unexpected allegiance after NFL owners unanimously approved his family’s record $9.612 billion purchase of the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaking after Wednesday’s vote in Atlanta, the incoming owner said he became a Pittsburgh Steelers supporter after arriving in the United States from India in 1976, when the Steelers were winning Super Bowls.
“I also happened to come to this country in ’76 when the Steelers were winning the Super Bowl, so actually I was originally and still am a big Steelers fan,” Khosla said, via Yahoo! Sports. “Little-known fact, but I still watch all the Steelers games, too.”
The remarks circulated quickly and drew criticism from some Seahawks fans.
The Khosla family agreed in July to buy the defending Super Bowl champions from the estate of the late Paul Allen. The price is the highest ever paid for an NFL franchise, topping the $6.05 billion Washington Commanders sale in 2023.
Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures and a Sun Microsystems co-founder, must sell his 3.1 percent stake in the San Francisco 49ers to complete the deal. His wife, Neeru, will serve as controlling owner, and their son, Neal, is expected to take a significant leadership role.
Khosla said the family has long been passionate about football and described the task in Seattle as simple: Keep winning and pursue another Super Bowl.
