Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald claims Broncos' Sean Payton threatened to go public with a Spygate‑style cheating allegation after the Seahawks used fan‑posted training‑camp videos to scout Denver in 2024. Macdonald says the dispute cooled after the Seahawks warned of a lawsuit.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told a recent interview that Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton accused his team of cheating during the 2024 season after the Seahawks compiled roughly 100 video clips of Denver’s training‑camp plays that fans had posted on social media (The Denver Post, 2026-09-22). Macdonald said the footage was used purely for scouting, noting that the clips were publicly available and that the Broncos had previously warned fans against recording practices. He added that Payton allegedly called Seahawks general manager John Schneider, threatening to expose the alleged misconduct and likening it to the NFL’s 2007 "Spygate" scandal (The Denver Post, 2026-09-22).
According to Macdonald, the Seahawks responded by warning Payton that any public accusation would be met with a lawsuit, prompting the Broncos’ coach to back down (Yahoo Sports, 2026-09-22). The dispute, which Macdonald described as a "cold war" between the two franchises, did not affect the on‑field result of their season‑opening matchup, where Seattle defeated Denver 26‑20, holding the Broncos to 231 total yards (The Denver Post, 2026-09-22). The two teams are set to meet again on Oct. 15 at Empower Field, a game that will likely revive discussion of the controversy.
Macdonald, who guided Seattle to a Super Bowl championship in February, also reflected on broader trends in the league, noting that other coaches have turned to fan‑shared videos for scouting insights (The Denver Post, 2026-09-22). He said the episode underscores the evolving nature of information gathering in the NFL, but emphasized that the Seahawks’ approach remained within the bounds of publicly available material. As both coaches prepare for the upcoming rematch, the incident serves as a reminder of the fine line between competitive scouting and perceived rule violations.