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Steelers' Mike McCarthy Breaks Silence on Eagles Sniping Makai Lemon at No. 20
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- Steelers' Mike McCarthy Breaks Silence on Eagles Sniping Makai Lemon at No. 20
The 2026 NFL Draft had its share of surprises, but one of the more uncomfortable moments played out between two Pennsylvania teams. The Philadelphia Eagles traded up to No. 20 and selected wide receiver Makai Lemon , pulling the rug out from under the Pittsburgh Steelers , who were sitting one pick later at No. 21 and had already told Lemon he was their man.
For a moment, Lemon thought he was Pittsburgh-bound. Then Philadelphia made its move and everything changed in real time . There's even footage of Lemon on a call with Steelers general manager Omar Khan, visibly confused as another Pennsylvania number kept trying to reach him.
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His agent had to step in and deliver the news. The Eagles had traded up and were in the process of drafting him.
USC Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the number 20 pick during the 2026 NFL DraftKirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mike McCarthy Keeps It Cool
Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy addressed the situation during a recent appearance on “ The Rich Eisen Show. ” He didn't seem too bothered by how things went. In his view, this is just how the back half of the first-round works.
"For me personally, I think the norm my experience has served me is when you get down to these picks, particularly when you're down in the 20s, you usually have a pot of players, which was our case. And Lemon was definitely part of that. He's a fine player and obviously he ended up in Philadelphia," McCarthy said. "I think the good Lord always works his magic. So Max [Iheanachor] is with us. I felt great about the way it ended up. As I said, Lemon will do great over there in Philadelphia but we're right where we need to be for a good reason."
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With Lemon off the board, the Steelers turned around and took offensive tackle Max Iheanachor out of Arizona State at No. 21.
Steelers Fans Aren't Buying It
Pittsburgh's fanbase had a very different reaction. Missing out on Lemon didn't sit well, especially given that the Steelers had multiple opportunities to trade up and didn't pull the trigger.
Getting beaten to their own target, in their own state, drew a sharp response from fans who saw it as a first-round disappointment. The frustration makes sense when you look at the receiver room.
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Even after signing Michael Pittman, the depth behind him and DK Metcalf is thin. Two additional options round out the group, and that's not a lot to work with heading into the season.
Related: KC Concepcion Sends Strong Shedeur Sanders Message After Browns’ Draft Decision
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
