The Pittsburgh Steelers were publicly embarrassed on Thursday when the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to snap wide receiver Makai Lemon out from under them. Somehow, the situation might get even worse for them.
The Steelers were not yet on the clock at No. 21 when they called Lemon, who they planned to pick, expecting that the Dallas Cowboys would not use the No. 20 pick on a wide receiver. The Cowboys traded that pick to the Eagles, however, leading to an incredibly awkward moment in which their new wide receiver was already on the phone with Pittsburgh.
Former Eagles executive Jake Rosenberg pointed out on X that NFL rules prohibit teams from having contact with players if it conflicts with the team on the clock. In other words, the Steelers might have breached a rule by calling Lemon early.
Clubs that are not “on the clock” may have discussions with the representative of one or more draft-eligible players not yet selected (or discussion with the players themselves) regarding the player’s interest in playing in the League, playing with a particular club or type of… https://t.co/5gdpABUJEY
— Jake Rosenberg (@jakerosenberg33) April 24, 2026
Rosenberg added that it is “strange” and a “rare breach of process” for any team to put itself in the position the Steelers put themselves in. Steelers GM Omar Khan has been with the organization since 2011 and served as GM since 2022, so it’s not as if he is new at this, either.
A league spokesperson told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that “all aspects of the Draft” would be reviewed after its conclusion, but did not comment specifically on this situation.
On one hand, the Steelers obviously did not know the Eagles were planning to trade up and snipe Lemon, and they presumably did not think they were stepping on any toes. On the other hand, most teams wait until they’re on the clock to call their would-be draft picks precisely to avoid situations like this one.
The Eagles ultimately got their wide receiver, and it’s the Steelers who wound up embarrassed by the whole situation. That was not the point, but Philadelphia fans might see it as a bonus.
