Mike Macdonald Apologizes to Sean Payton Over Resurfaced Comments About 2024 'Plant' Dispute
In a summer interview published Monday, Macdonald said Denver wrongly believed Seattle had someone at its camp when the Seahawks had taken plays from fan video on X. He called Payton Tuesday night, and Payton says the two are good.
Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday he has apologized to Denver's Sean Payton for comments about their 2024 dispute that surfaced this week in an interview with Graham Bensinger. "I fell short in that moment. It stings for me, frankly," Macdonald said.
What did he say?
In the interview, recorded over the summer and published Monday on YouTube, Macdonald said the Broncos had believed Seattle had a "plant" at their training camp before the teams' 2024 opener, when in fact the Seahawks had pulled plays from video that fans posted to X from open practices. Payton had accused Seattle of cheating at the time. Macdonald said the remarks were captured before formal filming began: "It's something that I didn't intend for public use," though "I'm responsible for what I say really no matter the circumstance."
How did Payton take it?
The two spoke Tuesday night. "He and I are good. Lord knows I've been in his position," Payton told reporters, adding that he has "a ton of respect for" Macdonald and that the episode was "three years ago."
Sources
- ESPN: Seahawks' Macdonald apologizes to Broncos' Payton for comments
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