{"id":1009356,"date":"2026-09-24T09:15:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T09:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/1009356\/"},"modified":"2026-09-24T09:15:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T09:15:26","slug":"how-viral-mike-macdonald-sean-payton-feud-video-came-to-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/1009356\/","title":{"rendered":"How viral Mike Macdonald-Sean Payton feud video came to be"},"content":{"rendered":"

The man behind the viral Mike Macdonald clip is giving his side of the story.<\/p>\n

After a video of the Seahawks coach explaining his 2024 beef with Broncos counterpart Sean Payton sent the NFL landscape into a frenzy this week, Graham Bensinger \u2014 whose \u201cIn Depth\u201d show produced the clip \u2014 explained how it all happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe complete Mike Macdonald interview, including the conversation now at issue, was provided to Seahawks PR last Wednesday, Sept. 16 \u2014 five days before it was published on YouTube [on] Monday,\u201d Bensinger wrote in a statement posted to X<\/a>. \u201cDuring that time, no concern was raised about the exchange, and we were never asked to remove it. For the last couple of years, our typical practice with long-form interview releases has been to include some of the pre-interview conversation.<\/p>\n

\"SeattleSeahawks head coach Mike Macdonald speaks during a news conference. AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach Macdonald reached out to me directly yesterday morning expressing concern. I immediately told him we would remove that portion, and we did. Unfortunately, it had already been clipped from our interview by online outlets and circulated elsewhere. I told Coach, in hindsight, I regretted allowing that exchange to be included and that it was my error in judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the video, Macdonald details a feud with Payton<\/a> that started over the Seahawks using social media videos posted by fans at practice to game plan for Denver. Payton accused Macdonald of spying.<\/p>\n

The coaches both addressed the fallout on Wednesday, noting that they\u2019ve buried the hatchet.<\/p>\n

Macdonald said he\u2019d learned his lesson from the now-viral incident.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something that I didn\u2019t intend for public use,\u201d Macdonald told reporters<\/a>. \u201cBut I felt like it was the most appropriate thing to reach out to Sean and really just apologize to him for having that end up be public where it wasn\u2019t meant to. It\u2019s something that they have to deal with in real time. It wasn\u2019t really on their end. So, that\u2019s where you\u2019re really like, \u2018Crap.\u2019 But it\u2019s a lesson learned, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wild: Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald reveals that Broncos HC Sean Payton threatened to expose Seattle for a spygate-style cheating scandal after they used training camp clips from X to their advantage.<\/p>\n

The Seahawks then threatened to sue him.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude31pic.twitter.com\/AXDiPkeqVI<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

For his part, Payton said it was all in the past.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe and I are good,\u201d the Broncos coach said after Wednesday\u2019s practice. \u201cLord knows I\u2019ve been in his position, you know, you\u2019re talking about something. The story is about three years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Payton said the Denver organization has since changed their rules regarding what fans attending practice can post to social media.<\/p>\n

\"Denverroncos head coach Sean Payton responds to a question during a press conference. AP Photo\/Eric Lutzens<\/p>\n

\u201cIt helped us,\u201d Payton said, \u201cto some degree.\u201d<\/p>\n

The whole sage is still a teaching point \u2014 for all involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to be better in that moment for understanding \u2014 look, I\u2019m responsible for what I say,\u201d Macdonald said. \u201cReally, no matter the circumstance. Whether you\u2019re mic\u2019d up, whether you\u2019re not, whether you have a certain type of understanding. I fell short in that moment. It stings for me, frankly, but it\u2019s something that I\u2019m definitely gonna learn from. It\u2019s just a good example that we\u2019ve got to take responsibility for the things that we say.\u201d<\/p>\n

While it seems everyone wants to put it in the past, the incident is sure to be a talking point heading into the Seahawks-Broncos matchup on Oct. 15 \u2014 a nationally televised \u201cMonday Night Football\u201d tilt.<\/p>\n

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