Mike Macdonald says his first game as an NFL head coach later became a cheating controversy. The Seahawks coach recalled that Broncos coach Sean Payton accused Seattle of improperly scouting Denver after the teams had played, following Macdonald's staff's assembly of a report from roughly 100 plays taken from fan-posted training-camp videos ahead of the 2024 season opener.
Macdonald recounted the episode in a sit-down interview with Graham Bensinger, and a clip from the nearly two-hour conversation circulated widely on social media this week. According to The Denver Post, Macdonald said Seattle staffers collected publicly available footage from Denver's training camp while preparing for Bo Nix's first career start. Sporting News reported that Macdonald put the total at about 100 plays.
Payton's Spygate Threat
Macdonald said Payton responded by calling Seahawks general manager John Schneider and threatening to make a public comparison to the New England Patriots' Spygate scandal. Macdonald recalled Payton threatening to go public with a “whole Patriot, like Spygate type of thing,” though Payton's account of the episode has not been reported in the supplied coverage.
Macdonald said Seattle responded by warning that it would pursue legal action if Payton made the accusation publicly, arguing that the allegation was untrue. The dispute did not become public at the time; as Lufkin Daily News noted, it was resolved without Payton going public.
What Denver's rules allow
The Broncos' official 2025 training-camp information allowed still cameras but prohibited video cameras and other recording devices, including cell phones and tablets, during practices, according to the Denver Broncos. The team's training-camp rules also said phone use during practice was strictly prohibited and that fans who did not comply would be removed. The published rules establish the timing and scope of the restriction but do not state a specific reason for adopting it.
The 2007 Patriots case cited by Macdonald was materially different in its official consequences. NFL.com records that on Sept. 13, 2007, New England and coach Bill Belichick were fined a combined $750,000 and the team lost a 2008 first-round draft selection in the videotaping scandal. The supplied accounts of Seattle's 2024 preparation describe fan-posted footage and no reported league discipline.
“We Didn't Cheat”
Macdonald rejected the idea that Seattle's process resembled Michigan's sign-stealing controversy or involved a plant inside Denver's operation. “Oh my God, we didn't cheat,” he told Bensinger, according to HeraldNet. Macdonald has maintained that using publicly posted training-camp footage did not violate NFL rules, according to Yahoo Sports.
The strategy appeared to pay off on the field. Seattle beat Denver 26-20 in that 2024 opener, with Nix throwing two interceptions on 38 attempts for 138 yards as the Broncos managed just 231 total yards, according to the Denver Post's reporting and si.com's account of Nix's rookie debut struggles.
A League-Wide Habit, Not Just Seattle
Macdonald's account lands amid broader acknowledgment that fan-shot training-camp footage has become common scouting fodder across the league. Yahoo Sports reported that Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said opposing teams were using training-camp fan videos for advance scouting, and per Bleacher Report, Hafley said Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo told him Philadelphia had a bunch of Green Bay's blitz packages before their 2024 season opener in Brazil because of publicly posted training-camp clips. Sporting News, citing the wider pattern, noted plenty of other teams have used fan footage the same way.
Denver has since tightened its training-camp recording rules. The Broncos prohibited fans from recording video during practices beginning in 2025, according to HeraldNet, and posted “protect our plays” signs on temporary bleachers during training camp, according to DenverSports.com. The outlet also reported that security guards asked fans to put their phones away or risk removal.
Rematch Looms at Empower Field
Payton reportedly dropped the cheating allegations after the 2024 season, and the two coaches later crossed paths at the NFL Scouting Combine in early 2025. Both teams finished that season 10-7, though DenverSports.com noted the Broncos made the playoffs while Seattle did not. Macdonald has since led Seattle to a Super Bowl title in February, while carrying a résumé that includes stints as John Harbaugh's defensive coordinator in Baltimore and as Michigan's defensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh in 2021.
The Broncos and Seahawks meet again on October 15 at Empower Field, giving the rivalry fresh stakes. Payton is scheduled to speak with reporters Wednesday afternoon after Denver's practice, though the Broncos coach's response to Macdonald's account has not yet been made public.
