• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
C-SuiteSports

Meet Jody Allen, the billionaire owner of the Seattle Seahawks, who plans to sell the team and donate the proceeds to charity

By
Jake Angelo
Jake Angelo
News Fellow
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jake Angelo
Jake Angelo
News Fellow
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 9, 2026, 2:19 PM ET
Jody Allen
Jody Allen of the Seattle Seahawks lifts the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl LX football game against the New England Patriots.Kevin Sabitus—Getty Images

Following a decisive 29-13 win Sunday night over the New England Patriots, the billionaire owner of the Seattle Seahawks, Jody Allen, took to the stage at Levi’s Stadium to triumphantly hoist the Lombardi trophy in the air.

Recommended Video

That appearance on the Super Bowl winner’s stage, though, is likely to be Allen’s last, as the team is reportedly up for sale, according to sources who spoke with ESPN last week. Her status as a billionaire entrusted with spending down a billionaire’s fortune, and now a victorious Super Bowl winner eyeing a near-immediate exit from the field, makes her one of the most unusual figures in American sports. 

The 67-year-old is the chair and trustee of the Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers with ownership over both passing to her after the 2018 death of her brother, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, after a battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The longtime owner of the Pacific Northwest sports franchises was worth roughly $20 billion at the time of his death, and was widely credited with revitalizing the Seahawks and keeping them in his hometown of Seattle. He also left behind no spouse or children.

Despite her appearance Sunday in front of more than 120 million Super Bowl viewers, Allen maintains a low profile, keeping her head down to focus on philanthropic ventures. She has led transformative charitable measures at the helm of her and her brother’s organization, dedicated to funding the arts, education, and the environment.

Jody Allen has not yet confirmed the sale of the Seahawks, which her brother purchased for $197 million in 1997. But Paul Allen’s will stipulated that his assets—including the Seahawks, the NBA’s Trail Blazers, and a 25% stake in the MLS’s Seattle Sounders—be sold to fund his charitable foundations. The Allen estate started to fulfill those wishes last September, entering a formal agreement to sell the Trail Blazers for an estimated $4 billion. 

A spokesperson from Paul Allen’s estate told Fortune the Seahawks are not for sale, but noted that “that will change at some point.”

A commitment to charity

Jody Allen has overseen over $1 billion in charitable efforts since she cofounded Allen Family Philanthropies, formerly the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, with her brother in 1988 at age 29. Last month, the organization dedicated $8 million to national conservation projects, including donations to the Nature Conservancy and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. 

Many of Allen’s donations target national initiatives flowing through the Pacific Northwest, where Allen and her late brother grew up together. Last November, Allen’s philanthropic organization donated nearly $7 million to nonprofits in Seattle dedicated to bolstering emerging artists. That followed a series of charitable gifts to the Pacific Northwest focused on the arts and revitalizing the region’s climate.

Throughout the years, Allen has worn many hats within several arts and science foundations that she and her brother founded. For instance, she serves as founding director of Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, and she’s the cofounder and chair of a Seattle-based bioscience research nonprofit, the Allen Institute.

A focus on winning

While Allen has played a pivotal role in her brother’s philanthropy arm, she has also remained razor-focused on winning as owner of the Seahawks and Trail Blazers. Following the end of the 2023 season, Allen announced an “amicable” decision that longtime head coach Pete Carroll would step down, a move that elevated John Schneider to general manager, who then hired Mike Macdonald to succeed Carroll as head coach. Macdonald has led the team to a total of 27 wins during his two seasons as coach, culminating in Sunday’s Super Bowl win.

“Pete is the winningest coach in Seahawks history, brought the city its first Super Bowl title, and created a tremendous impact over the past 14 years on the field and in the community,” Allen said in a 2024 press release.

In 2022, Allen addressed the potential sale of the Trail Blazers and Seahawks, shaking off rumors and instead, redirecting attention to her commitment to victory.

“Estates of this size and complexity can take 10 to 20 years to wind down,” Allen said in the press release. “There is no preordained timeline by which the teams must be sold. Until then, my focus—and that of our teams—is on winning.”

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story characterized Allen Family Philanthropies as a part of Vale Group. The two entities are separate and distinct.

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
By Jake AngeloNews Fellow
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in C-Suite

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in C-Suite

Is a college degree still worth it? Here are 3 things it can teach you that AI can’t do
Future of WorkColleges and Universities
Is a college degree still worth it? Here are 3 things it can teach you that AI can’t do
By Jake AngeloMay 23, 2026
2 days ago
She grew Salesforce’s team by 600% in South Asia. Meet one of India’s most powerful women
NewslettersMPW Daily
She grew Salesforce’s team by 600% in South Asia. Meet one of India’s most powerful women
By Angelica AngMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
A year in the life at HP: What matters to its sustainability lead in May 2026? 
EuropeHP
A year in the life at HP: What matters to its sustainability lead in May 2026? 
By Francesca CassidyMay 22, 2026
3 days ago
cox
CommentarySuccession
McKinsey studied 200 family business successions. The biggest problem wasn’t the heir — it was the outgoing CEO
By Acha Leke and Chaitali MukherjeeMay 22, 2026
3 days ago
matthew prince
AILayoffs
Cloudflare posted record revenue, then cut 20% of its workforce. CEO Matthew Prince says AI has made an entire category of workers obsolete
By Jake AngeloMay 21, 2026
3 days ago
Meta laid off 10% of its workforce as Mark Zuckerberg warns that in the AI race ‘success isn’t a given’
AILayoffs
Meta laid off 10% of its workforce as Mark Zuckerberg warns that in the AI race ‘success isn’t a given’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 21, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
3 days ago
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
Success
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
By Emma BurleighMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
Lifestyle
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
By Sasha RogelbergMay 24, 2026
14 hours ago
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
Success
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
By Preston ForeMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Inside the 'stealth wealth' playbook: How Silicon Valley's elite buy multimillion-dollar mansions without leaving a paper trail
Real Estate
Inside the 'stealth wealth' playbook: How Silicon Valley's elite buy multimillion-dollar mansions without leaving a paper trail
By Sydney LakeMay 24, 2026
15 hours ago
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
5 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.