On Monday, Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen passed away at the age of 65 after a battle with non-Hodkin lymphoma. Allen, who co-founded Microsoft, bought the Seahawks in 1996 after then-owner Ken Behring threatened to move the team from Seattle. Under Allen’s ownership, the franchise started to turn into a contender for the first time since the early 1980s: it captured three conference titles and went on to win Super Bowl 48.
Following Allen’s passing, the New England Patriots and owner Robert Kraft – who also bought his team in the mid 1990s amidst relocation rumors – released the following statement:
Paul Allen was a brilliant businessman who was driven by a deep passion for his work and a desire for excellence, which is evident in his myriad of business and philanthropic endeavors.