After setting a new attendance record, it’s safe to say that hosting the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a huge success. As for the Pittsburgh Steelers themselves, well, they had one of the strangest weekends among all 32 NFL teams.
It all started in Round 1 on Thursday, where the Steelers held the 21st overall pick. Pittsburgh seemingly did what every team does: try to get in contact with the player they plan on selecting.
The only issue? Pittsburgh wasn’t quite on the clock. It was actually the Dallas Cowboys‘ turn to pick at No. 20. Perhaps the Steelers felt strongly about the Cowboys not selecting their target. Yet, what Pittsburgh didn’t anticipate was the possibility of Dallas trading the pick elsewhere.
That’s exactly what happened, as the Cowboys struck a trade with their NFC East division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. The real awkward part came when the Eagles tried calling USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, who had already been on the phone with the Steelers.
Once his people informed him that the Eagles were on the clock, Lemon promptly hung up the phone on the Steelers and began talking to Philadelphia, who was actually selecting him 20th overall rather than landing with Pittsburgh at 21.
Here is the moment Makai Lemon thought he was getting drafted by #Steelers and realizing in real time that the #Eagles traded up, via @gmfb this morning.He asked Omar Khan "Why is Philly calling [me]?" pic.twitter.com/AbXDJONYye
According to former Eagles executive Jake Rosenberg, the Steelers may have violated NFL rules by being in contact with Lemon when they weren’t actually on the clock. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the NFL intends to investigate the Steelers’ draft tactics now that the three-day event has concluded. Though, he expressed doubt that the league would assess any sort of penalty.
“It’s probably not something the league will care about. With the first round trimmed to eight minutes, there will be periodic complications. Ultimately, it didn’t keep the Eagles from getting Lemon. And the embarrassment may be punishment enough for the team that is hosting the draft.”
We’re guessing this won’t be a big deal. But in the incredibly competitive NFL, it doesn’t take much for a team and or agent to create a stink over what seems to be a small issue.
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