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Essentials Inside The Story

  • The Steelers may have violated a rule during the 2026 NFL Draft.
  • The league will review the incident involving Makai Lemon.
  • Steelers could face NFL discipline.

Why is Philly calling? Makai Lemon thought, sitting completely confused in the green room at the NFL Draft. He was on the phone with Steelers’ general manager Omar Khan and believed Pittsburgh would be his home. But then, a person from his representation came running and said, “This is Philly! They just traded for you! Philly is taking you right now!”

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Here’s what happened: The Eagles actually struck a deal with the Dallas Cowboys, moving up from No. 23 to No. 20 to secure Lemon, the wide receiver out of USC. But the fact that he was speaking to Khan while Philadelphia was trying to get in touch with him led to a whole lot of confusion. So, the league will review the incident.

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Former Eagles exec Jake Rosenberg raised eyebrows on Friday, suggesting the Pittsburgh Steelers may have crossed a line by communicating directly with Lemon at the same time the Philadelphia Eagles were trying to get in touch with him. He pointed out that the NFL permits franchises that aren’t on the clock to contact prospects as long as it doesn’t disrupt communication with the team currently making the pick.

So, the Steelers could face NFL discipline. And when NBC Sports got in touch with the NFL to understand the rule related to a team getting in touch with a prospect when another team is on the clock, the league responded:

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“The league reviews all aspects of the Draft the week after its conclusion.”

Why did the Eagles do what they did? Well, after the first round wrapped on April 23, general manager Howie Roseman laid out how things unfolded from his side. As the Philadelphia Eagles neared their pick, he said Lemon was the lone name still available from their top 15 board. From there, Roseman shifted into action, working through options and identifying a spot where he could move up to secure him.

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With the clock ticking, Roseman wasted no time reaching out to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 20 to work out a move. At the same time, the Pittsburgh Steelers had already gotten ahead of things, placing a call to Lemon before the Cowboys were even on the clock, operating under the assumption Dallas wasn’t targeting a wide receiver.

With Dallas officially on the clock, there were under eight minutes to hammer out a trade before their pick came in. But timing became the issue. When the Eagles tried to reach Lemon, he was already tied up on a call with the Steelers.

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“When we get on the clock, we immediately try to contact the player,” Roseman mentioned later. “It took us a couple of minutes to contact the player and get him on the phone. That hasn’t happened very often. The clock got down a little bit lower than we would’ve liked. But we were able to get in touch with him and obviously select him.”

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Now, this could also be a signal that A.J. Brown will be traded. But what about Lemon? Is he happy to go to the Eagles?

What did Makai Lemon say after the two phone calls?

For the rest of the day, as Lemon made his media appearances, he was seen wearing the Eagles cap. Apart from what he was bringing to the team and what he felt about being drafted to Philadelphia, reporters also wanted to know what he felt about being wanted by two teams at the same time. Even though the Steelers call was a shocker, the news from the Eagles really bowled him over.

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“I was definitely shocked,” Lemon said about the trade. “I couldn’t be even more happy that they did. I’m super blessed. It was the right time and the right team. Everything worked out just how it was supposed to be.”

Lemon was projected by many to be a first-round pick. The reigning Biletnikoff Award winner, given to the best WR of the college football season, the now-Eagles WR brings a lot of power to join a WR room headlined by DeVonta Smith. The Eagles landed the veteran following a similar trade with Dallas, and hit the jackpot. Now, with Lemon in the fold too, this offense is going to see a lot of big plays.

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Lemon is as reliable as they come. His hands rarely fail him, and that is reflected in an excellent 2.8% drop rate during his college career. Even without an ideal size, he consistently comes down with contested throws, and his production holds up against any coverage, putting up more than 3 yards per route run versus both man and zone. That kind of efficiency speaks to polished route-running. He may not have top-end speed, but he still creates after the catch, sometimes in big gains, other times by grinding out extra yards where most receivers would go down.

What probably stood out most to the Philadelphia coaches is his edge. He is widely viewed as a relentless competitor. Size might not be on his side, but it doesn’t show in his play; he is more than willing to mix it up as a blocker. That trait clearly matters to this staff.

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Written by

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Ishani Jayara

249 Articles

Ishani Jayara is an NFL Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the league with a focus on team narratives, season arcs, and the evolving dynamics that shape professional football. Introduced to the sport through friends, what began as casual interest steadily grew into a deep engagement with the game, guiding her toward football journalism. A longtime San Francisco 49ers supporter, she brings an informed fan’s perspective while maintaining editorial balance in her reporting. Her path into sports media has been shaped by experience in fast-paced digital environments, where she learned to navigate breaking news cycles, long-form storytelling, and the demands of consistent publishing. Alongside this, her professional background in quality-focused roles sharpened her attention to detail, structure, and clarity, qualities that now define her editorial approach. At EssentiallySports, Ishani concentrates on unpacking key NFL moments, tracking shifting team identities, and connecting on-field performances with the broader narratives surrounding the league.

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Afreen Kabir

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