The Seattle Seahawks are likely facing major problems following their Super Bowl victory. The reason is Washington State.

The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl 2026 and are currently at the top of the NFL. But a change in their home state of Washington could now lead to problems.

The issue is the newly introduced “millionaire’s tax,” which was passed last week for the state in the northwestern U.S. General Manager John Schneider therefore fears a negative impact on free agency.

Seattle had previously been one of eight teams playing in a state without an income tax. Starting in 2028, such a tax will be levied. It will be 9.9 percent on annual income exceeding one million U.S. dollars.
The franchise has always cited the tax advantage as a reason for choosing the Seahawks. “Now some agents have written to me: ‘Hey buddy, you can’t use that anymore,’” Schneider said on the “Seattle Sports 710-AM radio show.”

The change is already being discussed among agents. “This is going to be a problem, and hopefully it won’t come to that,” “ESPN” quotes an unnamed agent as saying. According to a survey by the station, some agents were very upset about the change.
Others pointed to the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles teams, which have managed to sign big names in free agency time and again in California despite high income taxes.

It definitely won’t get any easier for the Seahawks, but overall, the negative reactions are limited, and the change won’t take effect until 2028.