Seattle Seahawks Breaking News: Goodbye, Tod Leiweke

After guiding the Seattle Seahawks through the most successful years in franchise history, CEO Tod Leiweke announced his resignation from owner, Paul Allen’s Vulcan Sports & Entertainment organization. Leiweke’s public statement was made this morning, but he will remain with the team until his replacement is found.

Leiweke also currently holds the reins for Paul Allen’s other professional sports teams, the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Sounders FC of MLS. He has held control of all Vulcan Sports and Entertainment franchises since 2007.

Once his departure is final, Leiweke will head to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, where he will assume the role of CEO and partial owner. The hockey team was recently purchased by Jeff Vinik, who reportedly pursued Leiweke for months and finally lured him away with an ownership opportunity.

Hockey is nothing new to Leiweke. He has worked in the NHL before, serving tenures with the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild prior to hopping on board with Paul Allen in 2003.

Allen said of Tod Leiweke, “I’m sorry to see him go, but I know hockey is his first love.”

All of the Seattle Seahawks’ fans should be sorry to see him go. The Leiweke era brought five playoff runs, including four NFC West Division championships and, of course, the team’s first ever Super Bowl appearance in 2005.

Even this offseason, the CEO is credited with bringing in new head coach, Pete Carroll—presumably a positive move.

To top it all off the Seahawks have enjoyed a sellout crowd every game for five straight seasons. Mike Holmgren constantly praised the CEO’s work during his head coaching days with the Seahawks. Leweike always made the fans number one, something Holmgren and Allen enthusiastically supported.

“Tod has been a leader for our sports teams,” Allen said. “He helped lead the Seahawks to the 2005 NFC Championship and our first Super Bowl. He also understands our priority on the fans…” said Allen in his statement this morning.

Tod Leiweke will be sorely missed in the Pacific Northwest. He made being a Seahawks fan fun again.

The entire Seahawk Nation thanks you for the service and wishes you good luck in Tampa.