Wide receiver DK Metcalf was at the center of what turned into a chaotic Wednesday practice for the Seattle Seahawks. Head coach Mike Macdonald let reporters know that he remains fully behind his Pro Bowl wideout.

Metcalf was recently caught on camera swinging a helmet at Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown as a fight broke out during practice (video here). The moment was seen on live TV as the NFL Network was filming a segment from the Seahawks’ practice grounds at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Wash.

On Thursday, Macdonald was unsurprisingly asked about the incident as he spoke to reporters. The first-year head coach didn’t chastise Metcalf and even praised him for being a “leader” for the Seahawks.

“DK is a leader on this team,” the Seahawks coach said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

“We look to him and as he goes we’re going to go for a lot of where we want to go as a football team. As expected, had a great message, the guys were in. … It was positive. It was just ‘Hey guys, just a reminder of what we’re trying to achieve here. Let’s take a deep breath and let’s make sure we close out practice the right way.’ To the guys’ credit, I thought we did that. … Trust me, it was a great message. It was what we needed to hear.”

Metcalf’s helmet swinging moment on Wednesday was one of at least five different flare-ups during that same Seahawks practice. With the season just a month away, the intensity has evidently ratcheted up in Seattle.