Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said a newly approved Washington state “millionaire tax” could hinder the Super Bowl champions’ ability to recruit and sign free agents. Washington lawmakers approved a measure that would impose a 9.9% tax on individuals earning more than $1 million a year beginning in 2028, and Gov. Bob Ferguson has signaled he will sign the bill, officials said.
Schneider made the remarks this week on Seattle Sports 710-AM, saying the state’s prior tax exemptions had been part of the team’s pitch to players. “There were a bunch of agents texting me the other day like, ‘Hey, can’t use that anymore, buddy,'” he said. “It’s always been a huge attraction, especially competing with the California teams. … So, it’s going to sting, from a recruiting standpoint and what that looks like.”
An unnamed NFL agent told ESPN the change could be damaging for the Seahawks. “It’s going to be a problem, and hopefully it doesn’t happen,” the agent said, according to ESPN. It remains unclear whether the law will face legal challenges or how much it will influence players’ decisions.
Schneider and others pointed to recent examples of taxes affecting player movement in other sports. Pitcher Merrill Kelly told “Foul Territory” he factored California’s higher tax rates into his decision to sign a two-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks after entering free agency, and ESPN reported the contract is worth an estimated $40 million. “I don’t think it’s any secret on how much money you get taken out of your pocket when you go to California,” Kelly said on the podcast.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
