Seahawks Franchise Officially For Sale

Ten days after they won their second Super Bowl championship, the Seahawks announced that they are up for sale.

“The Estate of Paul G. Allen today announced it has commenced a formal sale process for the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise, consistent with Allen’s directive to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all Estate proceeds to philanthropy,” the team stated. “The Estate has selected investment bank Allen & Company and law firm Latham & Watkins to lead the sale process, which is estimated to continue through the 2026 off-season. NFL owners must then ratify a final purchase agreement.”

The Seahawks have enjoyed stable ownership since Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, purchased the franchise for $200MM in 1997. Allen passed away in 2018, but the team has stayed in his family since then.

Jody Allen, Allen’s sister, has taken control over the past eight years. Rumors of a potential sale have persisted for a few years, most recently before the Super Bowl, making Wednesday’s announcement unsurprising.

Allen’s goal was for his sister to eventually sell the Seahawks and the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers and donate the proceeds to charity. Jody Allen sold the Blazers for approximately $4.2 billion last August. The wheels are now in motion to offload the Seahawks at a significantly higher price tag.

Josh Harris bought the Commanders for a record $6.05 billion in 2023, but the Seahawks figure to blow past that number. They could cost anywhere from $9 billion to $11 billion. Recent reports indicated Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post and founder of Amazon, is not expected to vie for the Seahawks. Regardless, with the NFL pushing for a Seahawks sale sooner than later, bidders will begin lining up in short order.

Mike Evans To Return In 2026

Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has put any retirement talk to bed. Evans will return for a 13th season in 2026, agents Deryk Gilmore and Darren Jones told Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN. Although Evans is a career-long Buccaneer, the pending free agent will explore his options on the open market.

While Evans left the door open for retirement in September, he would have exited on a sour note had he gone through with it. The 32-year-old entered 2025 aiming for a 12th straight 1,000-yard campaign, which would have broken a tie with Jerry Rice for the all-time record. However, multiple injuries – including a broken clavicle – prevented Evans from surpassing the legendary Rice.

Playing in just eight of the Buccaneers’ 17 games, Evans wound up with 30 catches, 368 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-5, 231-pounder’s injuries contributed to a disappointing finish for Tampa Bay, which went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

On Feb. 8, Gilmore expressed optimism Evans would continue playing, stating: “[Evans] finished feeling better than he has in several seasons. I think his competitive nature leads to more football. That is my hope.”

Evans proved Gilmore right nine days later, but now their focus will turn to which uniform he will wear in 2026. As veteran insider Jordan Schultz notes, “Evans’ heart has always been in Tampa.” Nevertheless, if Evans sees a better opportunity after the Buccaneers fell flat in 2025, he may take it.

The last time Evans was on track to reach the open market, 2024, the Buccaneers prevented it from happening with a two-year, $52MM offer. A host of teams were prepared to line up for Evans before he re-signed. He later pointed to the Texans and Chiefs as clubs he would have considered joining had he rejected the Bucs’ proposal. As a Galveston native and a former Texas A&M standout, signing with the Texans would have given him a chance to play in his home state.

Since going to Tampa Bay as the seventh pick in the 2014 draft, Evans has amassed 866 receptions, 13,052 yards and 108 touchdowns. Now a six-time Pro Bowler and a one-time Super Bowl champion, the potential Hall of Famer is on his way to free agency as the most accomplished receiver available. Combining his injury-ruined 2025 and his age, Evans won’t test the market at an ideal time. Nevertheless, it’s likely he will garner plenty of interest from around the league.

Dolphins Release WR Tyreek Hill

As expected, Tyreek Hill‘s tenure with the Dolphins is ending. The All-Pro wideout is among the veterans being let go on Monday.

Hill is being released, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This marks an end to his four-year run in Miami. As Hill continues to recover from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in Week 4, he will now become a free agent. The Dolphins have since confirmed the news.

[RELATED: Hill Plans To Play 11th NFL Season]

2026 was set to include $36MM in compensation in this case. Hill was due to collect a $5MM roster bonus as part of that figure in March, but many expected a release to take place well before that point. Miami has been busy on Monday, with the team’s list of veteran cuts including edge rusher Bradley Chubb and others. His release, along with that of Hill, will substantially alter the Dolphins’ cap situation.

Cutting Hill immediately would generate a slightly higher dead money charge ($28.25MM) than the cap savings it would create ($22.89MM). Like in Chubb’s case, a post-June 1 designation would be much more beneficial for the Dolphins. Taking that route would yield over $35MM in savings against while spreading out the dead cap charges across the next two years. In either case, Miami is well into cost-shedding season given the team’s actions today.

Hill is free to join another team, but since his injury there have been questions raised about his future. It will be interesting to see how much of a market forms in this case given the eight-time Pro Bowler’s health status. Hill is also the subject of an NFL investigation into domestic violence allegations. His history regarding other off-the-field issues represents another factor which could hinder Hill’s value.

The Dolphins received notable trade interest in Jaylen Waddle leading up to the 2025 deadline. To little surprise, Miami retained him. Waddle – who is under contract through the 2028 campaign – is now in line to handle WR1 duties moving forward. The rest of the team’s depth chart at the receiver position could see several changes this offseason.

Hill established himself as one of the league’s most productive players over the course of his Chiefs tenure. The former fifth-rounder was named a member of the 2010s All-Decade team based on his showings in Kansas City, and expectations were high upon arrival in Miami. The 2022 blockbuster deal which saw the Dolphins acquire Hill brought about five picks for the Chiefs and helped them reset their core. With the Dolphins, Hill proved to be a highly productive contributor.

In 2022, he broke the 1,700-yard threshold. Hill matched that feat the following season, leading the league in yards and touchdowns. A drop-off was suffered in 2024, a year in which the Dolphins dealt with quarterback injuries. Hill could be seen as a viable target in certain cases if suitors consider him a bounce-back candidate. Otherwise, his health status and intentions with respect to his future will be a major storyline.

The Dolphins are in position to usher in a new, young core during the opening year of the Jon-Eric Sullivan-Jeff Hafley era. Further changes can be expected, but several veteran contracts are already coming off the books in a sign of the wide berth granted by owner Stephen Ross. Inexpensive receivers will be targeted during the spring for Miami, while Hill will weigh his options.

Dolphins Release OLB Bradley Chubb

Bradley Chubb‘s time in Miami is coming to an end. The veteran edge rusher is being released by the Dolphins, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Chubb’s deal had one season remaining on it. However, none of his base pay for 2026 was guaranteed, leaving the door open to a release. It comes as little surprise Miami’s new regime is moving forward with this cut prior to March 12, when Chubb was due to collect a roster bonus. The Dolphins have since confirmed the move.

Roughly one year ago, Chubb agreed to a restructure which reduced his base salary for 2025. That move increased his cap hit for next year to over $31.5MM, though. Instead of attempting to work out another restructure or an extension, a release loomed as a logical direction for Miami. This move will generate a considerable dead money charge if it is processed immediately. On the other hand, a post-June 1 designation would create $20.23MM in savings for the Dolphins, one of the teams with work to do over the coming weeks to become cap compliant.

Chubb established himself as a productive sack artist during his time with the Broncos. Upon being acquired by the Dolphins via trade in 2022, the two-time Pro Bowler inked a five-year, $110MM extension. Chubb’s first full Miami campaign was stellar, as he racked up 11 sacks and six forced fumbles. An ACL tear suffered late in the season kept him sidelined for all of 2024, though.

Upon returning to full health, Chubb managed to remain in place for all 17 games in 2025. He recorded 8.5 sacks and 22 pressures while handling a full-time starting role. The Dolphins received considerable interest leading up to the trade deadline on multiple fronts, and Chubb was among the top targets for suitors. In the end, fellow pass rusher Jaelan Phillips was dealt while Chubb was retained. Both are now on track for free agency.

Entering his age-30 season, Chubb will be among the top edge rushers on the market. Interested teams could be cautious given his injury history, but the former No. 5 pick has shown an ability to produce when healthy. A contract similar to the one he landed in 2022 should not be expected, of course. Nevertheless, a strong market could emerge prior to the start of free agency.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, will remain a team to watch over the coming weeks. The new tandem of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley is in line to move on from a number of expensive contracts. The fate of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains unclear, but other veterans could soon join Chubb in being on the move.

Browns To Hire Mike Rutenberg As DC

The Browns were known to be nearing a hire for their defensive coordinator vacancy. One of the finalists will indeed be heading to Cleveland.

Mike Rutenberg is the Browns’ choice, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Not long after team and staffer interviewed, an agreement has been reached. Rutenberg’s tenure with the Falcons will now come to an end.

Retaining Jim Schwartz was a key priority for the Browns leading up to their head coaching search. The highly-regarded DC was in the running to be promoted to the role, but Todd Monken was hired instead. Over a brief period, Schwartz’s future was unclear but as many predicted he wound up resigning.

That decision left Cleveland in need of a new defensive coordinator for the first time since Schwartz arrived in 2023. A list of candidates quickly emerged, and while there were staffers who withdrew the team was able to generate a group of finalists late in the hiring cycle. Rutenberg was one of three candidates firmly in the mix, and his attention will now turn to the first coordinator gig of his coaching career.

The 44-year-old has worked in a number of capacities at the college and NFL levels. Rutenberg has experience as a defensive backs coach and a pass-game coordinator in both regards, but he has also worked with linebackers in the pros. He served as the Jets’ LBs coach prior to following Jeff Ulbrich from New York to Atlanta last offseason. After a one-year Falcons stint, Rutenberg will take charge of a defense which ranked fourth in yards allowed in 2025. Few staffing changes are expected in the wake of this move, per Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand.

The Browns have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year (Myles Garrett) along with 2025’s Defensive Rookie of the Year (Carson Schwesinger) in the fold. Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward and others round out what should be a strong unit once again in 2026. Rutenberg will certainly face high expectations upon arrival in Cleveland as the team aims to take needed steps forward on offense under Monken and Co.

Given today’s news, only one defensive coordinator opening remains around the NFL. The Patriots have a vacancy, although they are widely expected to continue with Zak Kuhr as their defensive play-caller after he handled those responsibilities in 2025. Provided Kuhr’s status is confirmed in the near future, it will bring an end to the DC hiring cycle for 2026.

Here is a final look at the Browns’ search:

Raiders To Hire Andrew Janocko As OC

With the Seahawks moving to hire 49ers tight ends coach Brian Fleury as a replacement for Klint Kubiak at offensive coordinator, the situation became much more clear for Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. No longer an internal candidate for the Seahawks job, a deal has now been finalized to make Janocko the Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

In the wake of a Super Bowl victory, the Seahawks watched Kubiak depart for Las Vegas to become a first-time head coach. There began immediate conjecture around whether or not any Seattle staffers would be following him to the Raiders and who they may be. Janocko was at the top of that list.

Janocko has worked with closely with Kubiak in five of the past seven NFL seasons. They first worked together in Minnesota, where Kubiak joined as quarterbacks coach in 2019. Janocko was entering his fifth season with the Vikings, serving as assistant offensive line coach after starting as an offensive quality control coach in 2015. In 2020, Janocko moved to wide receivers coach, and when Kubiak was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2021, Janocko replaced him in the role of quarterbacks coach.

In 2022, then-Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer was fired, and Kubiak and Janocko went their separate ways. Kubiak spent a year each in Denver and San Francisco and Janocko spent two seasons with the Bears before the two reunited in New Orleans two years ago. They, once again, filled their roles of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and when Mike Macdonald lured them to the Seahawks the next year, they retained their titles in the move.

So, when Kubiak made the move to become the new head coach at Las Vegas, there were two immediate options that seemed to emerge. It made sense to believe that Janocko would either follow Kubiak, once again, to Las Vegas with the potential for a promotion to offensive coordinator or remain in Seattle for a chance to become an offensive coordinator on his own with the added responsibility of calling plays, something that won’t be available to him in Vegas. The Seahawks did interview Janocko — and a few other internal candidates — for the offensive coordinator position, but their ultimate decision to bring in Fleury put the writing on the wall.

The Raiders’ search for a new offensive coordinator was short and sweet. Janocko showed up to interview today and, apparently, got a deal done. The team will have needed to be Rooney Rule compliant in order to make a hire, so one would assume some interviews have taken place that haven’t yet been reported. Here’s our account of the team’s search that led to Janocko:

  • Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview

Seahawks To Hire Brian Fleury As OC

The Seahawks considered a number of internal candidates to fill the offensive coordinator position. Instead, they will go outside the organization to replace Klint Kubiak.

Seattle is hiring Brian Fleury to handle OC duties, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Fleury has been in place with the 49ers since 2019, but he will now move within the NFC West. This will be his first offensive coordinator opportunity.

The Seahawks seemed to be in position to promote an in-house staffer to the role of OC this offseason. Indeed, four candidates from within the organization recently conducted an interview. A small number of coaches from outside Seattle were mentioned as names to watch as the team’s search unfolded. One of those was Fleury, who met with the Seahawks yesterday. Things clearly went well, and an agreement has now been reached.

Fleury has been coaching since 2005, and he worked in a number of capacities during his college career. Stints as a defensive and special teams coordinator preceded Fleury’s rise to the ranks of NFL staffs. The former undrafted free agent quarterback had brief tenures with the Bills and Browns prior to arriving in San Francisco.

After one season working on the defensive side of the ball, Fleury became an offensive quality control coach for the 49ers. That was followed by a four-year run as the team’s tight ends coach. In 2025, the title of run-game coordinator was added, an indication of Fleury’s importance to Kyle Shanahan‘s staff. The 49ers will now need to seek out a replacement late in the 2026 hiring cycle.

For the Seahawks, meanwhile, the status of their internal OC candidates will be worth watching closely. Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko was among the coaches who loomed as a promotion candidate, but he has been heavily linked to the Raiders since Kubiak’s departure. At this point, a Janocko move to Vegas to fill that team’s OC position is expected.

Seattle enjoyed a stellar showing on defense en route to winning the Super Bowl this season. The team’s offense played a notable role as well, with quarterback Sam Darnold thriving on his new team and wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba taking home Offensive Player of the Year honors. Needless to say, expectations will be very high for Fleury during his first year as an NFL coordinator. He will be tasked with handling play-calling duties in 2026.

Via PFR’s Coordinator Search Tracker, here is a final look at how Seattle’s process played out:

Raiders Promoting Rob Leonard To DC

After interviewing a few candidates for the defensive coordinator position under new head coach Klint Kubiak, the Raiders have opted to go with an internal candidate. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, run game coordinator/defensive line coach Rob Leonard is set to be promoted to coordinator in Las Vegas.

A former college linebacker who led NC State in tackles in 2008, Leonard immediately turned to coaching out of college, starting as a defensive assistant at nearby Cardinal Gibbons HS (N.C.). With a year of experience under his belt, he rejoined his alma mater, spending three years as a graduate assistant with the Wolfpack before making the jump to the NFL in 2013. Leonard made his NFL coaching debut with the Giants, spending four years as a defensive assistant before getting promoted to assistant defensive line coach in 2017 under then-defensive line coach Patrick Graham.

He moved into the assistant linebackers coaching role the next year, taking over oversight of New York’s outside linebackers, including standout Olivier Vernon. In 2019, he reunited with Graham in Miami as the Dolphins linebackers coach, his first full position coaching role. He moved back to assistant defensive line coach in 2020 before being named outside linebackers coach the following year. In that final season with the Dolphins, Leonard coached a rookie Jaelan Phillips to an 8.5-sack campaign. In 2022, Leonard found his way to Baltimore, joining Mike Macdonald‘s first staff as defensive coordinator for the Ravens, where he helped a veteran Justin Houston to a resurgent 9.5-sack season at 33 years old.

It was at that point that Leonard made his way to Las Vegas, once again reuniting with Graham, the team’s defensive coordinator at the time. As the Raiders’ new defensive line coach in 2023, Leonard took over the tutelage of star defensive end Maxx Crosby, helping him to earn his second straight first-team All-Pro honors while recording career highs in sacks (14.5) and tackles for loss (23). It was also the first year Crosby seemed to have any help across the line as defensive end Malcolm Koonce (8.0) and defensive tackle Adam Butler (5.0) contributed to a team total of 46 sacks, the team’s highest sack total since 2010.

Despite some contract turbulence and injury issues for Crosby, Leonard has been an agent of continuity for the star pass rusher in Las Vegas. There’s a chance that owner Mark Davis and general manager John Spytek may be leaning on the scale a bit to influence Leonard’s promotion in hopes of increasing their odds of retaining Crosby moving forward. Leonard’s résumé speaks for itself, though, with multiple stops showing results with players young and old alike.

In fact, when Pete Carroll was named head coach in Vegas last year, he interviewed Leonard for the DC job before ultimately opting to retain Graham. With Graham now in Pittsburgh, it’s Leonard’s turn to lead the Raiders defense. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, several NFL and college teams made requests to interview Leonard over the past two years, but the Raiders did everything in their power to keep him in the building as “they believed they had a future star” in Leonard.

Though several names had been mentioned as defensive coordinator candidates to succeed Graham, only three interviews had been scheduled. In the end, continuity will remain key for a defense that finished 14th in 2025 giving up the 14th-fewest passing yards and the 17th-fewest rushing yards as it looks like Leonard will be promoted to defensive coordinator, pending a finalized deal. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, that continuity will continue with defensive pass-game coordinator Joe Woods being retained in his current role. Woods had been a rumored candidate for the DC position, as well.

Here’s a final look at how the Raiders’ search for their next defensive coordinator played out:

Cardinals To Retain Nick Rallis As DC

FEBRUARY 13: Rallis will indeed stay on as the Cardinals’ DC, according to Albert Breer of SI.com.

FEBRUARY 12: The Cardinals’ defensive coordinator search has dragged on much longer than its OC pursuit. Several days have passed since Nathaniel Hackett‘s OC hire, but Arizona looks to be fine retaining Jonathan Gannon‘s top lieutenant.

Nick Rallis is now expected to be retained as Cardinals DC, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reports. Earlier tonight, Zenitz indicated this was a real possibility. Rallis followed Gannon from Philadelphia in 2023. Despite Gannon’s Arizona exit, it appears the Cardinals will go with the young coordinator for a fourth season.

[RELATED: Cardinals Expected To Hire Matt Schaub]

Hackett’s OC deal circulated Feb. 5, days after Mike LaFleur‘s HC hire. DC candidates have come up since, including Karl Scott‘s recent meeting, but it is now worth wondering if the outside candidates underwhelmed.

LaFleur keeping Rallis is a surprise considering the Cardinals’ struggles on that side of the ball despite more investments poured into the unit in 2025. The Cardinals dropped from 15th to 29th in scoring defense from 2024 to ’25. The 3-14 season drove Gannon’s exit. Now, Rallis is positioned as the top defensive voice in Arizona’s building.

Gannon, of course, held that distinction for three seasons. Gannon’s presence overshadowed Rallis’ in Arizona — to the point the PFR pages last discussed the 32-year-old DC in spring 2023. No head coaching interviews have come Rallis’ way, but while Gannon and OC Drew Petzing were removed from their respective positions, the Cardinals are expected to have DC continuity. Gannon (Packers) and Petzing (Lions) will join Rallis on the coordinator level in 2026.

Gannon gave Rallis play-calling duties from the start of his tenure, entrusting the NFL’s youngest active coordinator with running the show. Mixed results followed. The Cardinals were in a rebuilding stage in 2023, and their defense had lost J.J. Watt, Zach Allen and Byron Murphy. Not much in the way of replacements followed that year. After a 31st-place scoring finish in 2023, the Cards climbed to 15th. EPA per play, however, did not deem Arizona as making big improvements. The metric ranked Rallis’ unit 26th in 2024 and ’25.

Arizona gave Josh Sweat a big-ticket free agent deal and used first-round picks to bolster its D-line in 2024 (Darius Robinson) and ’25 (Walter Nolen). While Sweat had a solid season, Pro Football Focus ranked Robinson last among interior D-linemen. Nolen missed most of his rookie year due to injury. This came during a season in which the Cardinals lost 14 of their final 15 games.

The Cardinals are not the only team to retain their DC under a new coach. Kevin Stefanski kept DC Jeff Ulbrich on. Last year, Pete Carroll retained Patrick Graham as DC. Dave Canales did the same with Ejiro Evero with the Panthers in 2024. Considering the Cardinals’ nosedive last season, though, this was not their anticipated move.

This decision also comes after LaFleur met with recent Rams coworker Aubrey Pleasant about the job. Two candidates, however, withdrew from the search. Gus Bradley was a rumored candidate; he ended up as Titans DC. Texans DBs coach Dino Vasso received an interview slip but declined the meeting.

Rallis and LaFleur have no history working together. Rallis came over from Philadelphia as Eagles linebackers coach. He was on the Vikings’ staff over the previous four seasons, leaving Minnesota after Mike Zimmer‘s firing. Via PFR’s Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker, here is how the Cardinals’ DC search shook out:

Rams RT Rob Havenstein To Retire

After 11 years as a starting right tackle with the Rams, Rob Havenstein is calling it a career. Havenstein announced his retirement on Instagram on Tuesday (via Sarah Barshop of ESPN).

“Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, and fans who have supported me and helped me over these past 11 years,” Havenstein wrote. “I have had the time of my life with the Los Angeles Rams (formerly known as the St. Louis Rams) and can’t thank the whole organization enough for giving me a shot back in 2015. Although some in the organization weren’t totally convinced.”

Now 33 years old, Havenstein was the last St. Louis Ram remaining on his team’s roster. As a second-round selection in 2015, Havenstein spent his rookie year in St. Louis. The Rams relocated to Los Angeles the next season.

As Havenstein noted, “some” weren’t convinced the Rams were wise in using a high pick on him. He proved his doubters wrong, though, as the Rams nabbed a Day 1 starter and someone who topped the depth chart for his entire career.

The former Wisconsin Badger started in all 148 of his appearances with the Rams, though injuries were a consistent issue. He missed at least one game in 10 of his seasons and sat out three or more on five occasions.

A stalwart when healthy, Havenstein earned two extensions during his career. He inked a four-year, $32.5MM contract in 2018 and then landed a three-year, $34.5MM pact in 2022. His second deal came together several months after he won the lone Super Bowl title of his career.

Had Havenstein continued in 2026, he’d have been on track to reach free agency for the first time in March. The 6-foot-8, 322-pounder would have had to seek a new contract on the heels of an injury-ruined 2025.

In his final season, Havenstein played in just seven games – none past Week 11 – as a result of ankle and knee issues. He went on injured reserve in mid-November, and though the Rams opened his practice window ahead of the NFC title game, he wasn’t healthy enough to play in their season-ending loss to the Seahawks.

Havenstein will walk away tied for eighth on the Rams’ all-time games played list for offensive linemen. He’s third among their tackles in starts, trailing Pro Football Hall of Famers Jackie Slater and Orlando Pace.

With Havenstein moving on, the Rams are expected to hand the keys at right tackle to Warren McClendon. After McClendon impressed filling in for Havenstein in 2025, the Rams could pursue an extension with the three-year veteran this offseason.

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