February 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Seattle Seahawks earned the respect of 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 “millionaires tax” could hinder future roster development and player recruiting.
The Washington state Senate on Wednesday approved a new bill that would impose a 9.9% tax on income exceeding $1 million annually. The bill passed on a 27-21 vote and is likely to become law with the signature of Gov. Bob Ferguson, who has already expressed support for the bill. The first payment date is 2029.
The bill is expected to affect only 0.5% of Washington residents, which is expected to disproportionately affect athletes in the state.
“It’s going to really sting, there’s no question about it,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider told KIRO-AM. “Any professional team here in the city (where there is no state income tax) has always been a big draw. It’s been a big deal for us, especially competing against California teams. So, yeah, it’s going to sting from a recruiting standpoint.”
The 2026 NFL salary for players with at least one season is set at $1.005 million, which applies to any new players the Seahawks want to sign. So far this offseason, the Seahawks have signed three outside free agents to one-year deals and lost key players like Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III.
Washington would join California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and the District of Columbia in adopting some version of a millionaires tax.
–Field level media
