Training Camp Tensions Spark Broncos-Seahawks Feud

A behind-the-scenes dispute between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks emerged following the 2024 season, rooted in how the Seahawks prepared for their season-opening matchup against Denver. According to Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, his staff analyzed approximately 100 plays sourced from publicly posted training camp footage by Broncos fans, a tactic that drew sharp criticism from Broncos coach Sean Payton.

Macdonald, speaking in an interview with Graham Bensinger released Monday, described the approach as straightforward. “It’s like public knowledge. So we took like 100 plays from their training camp,” he said, adding that Seattle’s use of the material contributed to a 26–20 victory in the opener, his first as a head coach.

Payton reportedly became aware of the Seahawks’ scouting efforts during the 2024 campaign and viewed it as a violation of unwritten norms, or possibly even formal rules. Macdonald noted that Payton drew parallels to past controversies, including the New England Patriots’ Spygate and the University of Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, where Macdonald had been defensive coordinator in 2021.

“He got wind of it, and he lost it,” Macdonald recalled. “He called [Seahawks general manager] John [Schneider]. He basically threatened to come out publicly and do a whole Patriot, like Spygate type of thing. And I’m sitting there thinking, Oh my God, we didn’t cheat. He thought it was a Michigan thing, or we had a plant.”

The Seahawks responded by signaling they would pursue legal action if Payton went public with his allegations. That counterthreat prompted Denver to step back, though the exchange remained pointed. “He was killing John, our GM,” Macdonald added.

Though the matter was eventually settled by season’s end, the resolution did not erase the underlying strain. Macdonald likened the dynamic to a Cold War, with both sides preparing to escalate: “He’s like, I’m gonna hit the button, I’m gonna hit the button. We’re like, Well, we’re gonna hit the button. So none of us hit the button.”

The Athletic has contacted the Broncos for comment and will provide updates if a response is issued.

The backdrop to the dispute includes evolving access policies at both teams’ training camps. Over the past two summers, Denver has limited fan attendance at its practices due to ongoing construction at its new facility. Since 2025, spectators seated in temporary bleachers have been barred from recording practice sessions, and signs reading “Protect our plays” have been posted. Security personnel actively patrol the fields to enforce the rules.

Seattle, too, restricts video recording during camp, issuing specific announcements during designated segments to remind attendees of the policy.