Reports: Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook Not Interested in Bidding on Seahawks

Theories about who will potentially step up to purchase the Seattle Seahawks, which are expected to sell for between $7-10 billion, have been rampant since the team was put on the market two months ago.

However, the first concrete information emerged on Thursday, April 20, from Front Office Sports reporter Ben Horney, who reported that tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook were considering bids on the Seahawks.

Zuckerberg, who co-founded Facebook and its parent company, Meta, and Cook, the CEO of Apple, would be stepping well out of their typical realms of business to dip into sports team ownership.

Horney’s report stated that “Five sources familiar with the matter tell Front Office Sports they’ve heard Zuckerberg is considering a bid, while four say Cook is separately weighing an offer.”

That report has since been refuted by multiple other sources, including Horney himself.

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mark Zuckerberg (right) and Dana White (left) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Dylan Byers, a senior correspondent at Puck, immediately responded to the report, stating, “This isn’t true. Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook are not considering bids for the Seattle Seahawks, per sources close to both men. Period, full stop.”

Bloomberg’s Kurt Wagner also reported that Zuckerberg and Cook are not interested in bidding on the Seahawks before Horney posted on social media himself that he had heard back from spokespeople for the tech moguls.

“Spokespeople for both had ample opportunity to deny our report before it came out,” Horney posted on X (formerly Twitter).

What it means for Seahawks

We likely won’t know who is in the running to purchase the Seahawks for a long time, as sales as large as these don’t come together overnight. Even if Zuckerberg and Cook actually are interested, it doesn’t mean they are actively pursuing a bid.

Of course, Jody Allen will also want to avoid selling to a bidder who would want to move the team to another city, especially after the Seahawks just won a Super Bowl at the end of the 2025 season. That makes the pool of potential buyers even smaller, as it’ll likely be someone with ties to the Seattle area.

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Apple CEO Tim Cook on the field before Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Ceasars Superdome. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It’s not something that Allen should rush, and no billionaire will be rushing into the purchase. Zuckerberg and Cook simply don’t make much sense through all of that criteria.

A change in ownership can have ripple effects throughout the franchise, especially for the front office members who have done their jobs a certain way under previous management. General manager John Schneider has been with the Seahawks since 2010, and it could be a big adjustment for him and others.

Thus, it’s better for now that the Seahawks can keep their main focus on trying to win back-to-back Super Bowls for the first time in franchise history.

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