Ndamukong Suh's playing career made him a recognizable defensive lineman, but his life after football has increasingly moved toward business. The former NFL star has built interests across real estate, restaurants, and investing, while continuing to explore opportunities that could put him on the other side of the sports business.
That background made his latest admission particularly interesting. Suh revealed at the Front Office Sports Asset Class event on Tuesday that he had recently considered investing in the Seattle Seahawks as part of the ownership group led by Vinod Khosla. The group completed its purchase of the reigning Super Bowl champions on September 3 after NFL owners unanimously approved the deal in August.
"I looked at the NWSL team, the Thorns, in my hometown, and most recently looked at the Seahawks, where I actually had an opportunity with the winning group. But timing and being in the right position is everything, and that is very much the key for me and my family," Suh said at the event.
The Seahawks sale itself was historic before Suh's revelation. The $9.612 billion transaction became the highest price ever paid for an NFL franchise, with the Khosla family taking control from the estate of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Vinod Khosla became chair, while Neeru Khosla became controlling owner and president of the Seahawks Charitable Foundation, with their son Neal Khosla serving as vice chair.
The ownership group also stretches well beyond the Khosla family. Mark Stevens, the Aramburuzabala family, Val Blavatnik, Sheryl Sokoloff, Gonzalo Hevia Baillères, Jesse van der Werf, Samir Kaul, Sunny Gupta, Nader Naini, Penny Pritzker, Carlyle and Dynasty Equity, and Sixth Street were announced among the co-owners. Suh therefore was not simply considering buying into the team on his own. He was weighing a place within a large group assembled around one of the biggest franchise transactions in sports.
For Suh, the interest is hardly new. During a 2021 appearance on Club Shay Shay, he was asked whether he still wanted to own a professional sports team. His answer was direct:
"Yeah, no question. I would love to have the opportunity to own a sports team. I've been able to look at a handful of different opportunities, but I just don't think they made the most sense for me to be able to pull the trigger. But I would love to be a part of an ownership group or wholly own a team if I'm fortunate enough to be that wealthy and whatnot."
That ambition has followed him into retirement for years, after his career officially ended. Suh spent 13 seasons in the league, with stops in Detroit, Miami, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, and Philadelphia. His NFL contracts brought him more than $168 million over the course of his career. He won Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay and was selected to five Pro Bowls.
Suh has also built a presence in real estate. He serves as co-founder and president of HMS Developments, a company involved in mixed-use projects across the Pacific Northwest. He is also involved with Athletes in Real Estate and runs Generals Restaurant Group, while maintaining other investment interests.
Portland had been on Suh's radar before Seattle. He had looked into both the Trail Blazers and the Thorns, but neither deal worked out for him. The Blazers later landed with Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon for more than $4 billion, while Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal took over the Thorns in 2024 in a deal reportedly worth $63 million.
Suh also wasn't the only former Seahawks player who had an interest in the sale. Front Office Sports reported that another former Seattle player looked into joining the group, but the player was not named.
That leaves Suh still looking for the right chance to get into team ownership. He has explored several possibilities over the years, and Seattle was simply the latest one that came across his path.
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