The Seattle Seahawks were admired by many for their team building through the draft and free agency, which helped them win Super Bowl LX in February. However, Washington state’s new “millionaire’s tax” could hinder their roster development and player recruitment in the future.
On Wednesday, the Washington state Senate approved a new measure that will impose a 9.9% tax on earnings exceeding $1 million annually. The measure was passed with a 27-21 vote and is likely to be signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson, who has already expressed his support for the bill. Payments will first be due in 2029.
It is expected that the bill will affect just 0.5% of Washington’s residents, disproportionately affecting athletes in the state, who make up a large portion of that.
“It’s gonna sting. There’s no question about it,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said in an interview with KIRO-AM. “All the pro teams here in town, (not having a state income tax has) always been a huge attraction, especially competing with the California teams. It’s been a big deal for us. So, yeah, it’s going to sting from a recruiting standpoint.”
The NFL minimum salary in 2026 for any player with at least one season is set at $1.005 million, so this will apply to any new player the Seahawks are looking to recruit. So far this offseason, the Seahawks have signed three external free agents, all to one-year deals, and have lost key players like Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III.
Washington will join California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York — as well as the District of Columbia — in adopting some version of the millionaire’s tax.
