Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald says his staff used roughly 100 plays publicly posted on X after Broncos training-camp practices in 2024 to prepare for Seattle’s opening game against Denver. Seattle won 26–20, but Macdonald claims Broncos coach Sean Payton later accused the Seahawks of conduct resembling the NFL’s Spygate scandal.

According to Macdonald, Payton threatened to publicise the matter, while Seahawks general manager John Schneider threatened legal action, resulting in what Macdonald called a “Cold War” between the teams. Macdonald maintains that Seattle did not break rules because the footage and plays were publicly available, though the account has not been independently verified in the article.