Payton says he and Macdonald are ‘good’ after Seahawks coach’s mic’d-up interview retells 2024 story

Englewood, Colorado (AP) — Sean Payton addressed an incident that Seattle coach Mike Macdonald recently discussed while being mic'd up during an interview, where Macdonald claimed the Seahawks were accused of cheating for using video in 2024. Payton stated on Wednesday that he had spoken with Macdonald, saying, "He and I are good." The encounter occurred after practice.

Macdonald's comments came to light this week following an appearance on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger." A portion of his interview was released on social media, showing him talking with Bensinger about the Seahawks' scouting of the Broncos through plays fans posted on social media in training camp. The Seahawks went on to defeat Denver 26-20 on September 8, 2024, with Bo Nix making his debut for the Broncos.

Macdonald took full responsibility for the mic'd-up clip, admitting it was not intended for public use. He expressed regret for his actions in the moment, acknowledging he should have been more mindful of the consequences of his words, regardless of whether he was mic'd up or not.

Macdonald explained that Payton reached out to Seattle General Manager John Schneider, threatening to publicly accuse the Seahawks of cheating, which Macdonald described as a "Patriot 'Spygate' type of thing." The Broncos coach stated that Payton backed down, but the coach still reached out to Schneider, attempting to counter their accusations.

The two coaches crossed paths in a hotel elevator during the NFL combine in Indianapolis, where Macdonald apologized for his behavior and acknowledged that Payton was a good friend. Payton commented on the incident, stating that it ultimately led the Broncos to tighten their policies regarding fans and videos.