The “Cold War” between Mike Macdonald and Sean Payton may be headed for a thaw.
Macdonald revealed Wednesday, Sept. 23, that he contacted Payton to apologize after his story about a behind-the-scenes dispute between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos became public.
“I respect the heck out of him and his program,” Macdonald said, via Curtis Crabtree of FOX 13 Seattle. Macdonald described Payton’s response as “great” and called the episode a lesson learned.
“I respect the heck out of him and his program.”
Said it wasn’t something he intended to be public, but “it’s a lesson learned.”
The apology addressed the disclosure rather than Seattle’s scouting methods.
Macdonald had said Seahawks staffers studied roughly 100 plays gathered from training camp videos that Broncos fans posted publicly before the teams met in September 2024.
Denver later suspected the footage came through more questionable means, setting off an argument that stayed private for two years.
Macdonald Tries to Cool Payton Controversy
Macdonald told Graham Bensinger that Payton called Seattle general manager John Schneider after learning about the footage and threatened to make a public cheating allegation comparable to the New England Patriots’ Spygate scandal.
The Seahawks disputed that characterization. Macdonald said Seattle warned it would pursue legal action if Payton went public because the team acquired the material through social media rather than planting someone at Denver’s practices.
“We’re going to sue you because it’s not true,” Macdonald recalled in the interview with Bensinger.
Macdonald likened the stalemate to a “Cold War.” Neither side aired the dispute at the time, and he said Payton let the matter go. The coaches later crossed paths at the NFL scouting combine without revisiting it.
The episode resurfaced after Macdonald’s interview was released. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that the comments were not intended for public consumption, which explains why Macdonald called Payton once the story spread.
Macdonald didn’t retreat from his version of the disagreement in Crabtree’s report, as his public response instead centered on respect for Payton and regret that a private matter escaped the room.
Seahawks-Broncos Rematch Now Has Extra Heat
The story will likely follow both teams into their next meeting.
Seattle travels to Denver for a Thursday night game on Oct. 15, an upcoming Week 6 matchup listed on the Seahawks’ official schedule.
Macdonald’s first game as an NFL head coach came against Payton and the Broncos on Sept. 8, 2024. Seattle won 26-20 after its defense intercepted Bo Nix twice in the rookie quarterback’s debut.
Seattle also held Denver to 4 yards per carry on 25 attempts and carried a double-digit lead into the final three minutes. Nix’s late rushing touchdown gave the Broncos a chance, but the Seahawks kept possession for the rest of the game.
The scouting footage became part of the story months later.
Macdonald said his staff saw fans posting practice clips on X and treated the material as publicly available information. Payton, according to Macdonald, believed Seattle may have gone further.
Nonetheless, teams routinely search for any legal edge, while clubs have also become more protective of what spectators record during open practices.
The Broncos have since placed signs around their training camp bleachers telling fans to protect the team’s plays, via The Denver Post.
In the end, Macdonald’s phone call should lower the temperature for now.
Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald Apologizes to Sean Payton After Interview Claims