Report: Steelers furious with Cowboys over trade to let Eagles snatch WR Makai Lemon

TL;DR

The Steelers are upset with the Cowboys for a trade that allowed the Eagles to draft WR Makai Lemon. This incident has intensified the rivalry between the two teams during the 2026 NFL draft.

Key points

Steelers are furious with Cowboys over a draft trade
Cowboys traded back from No. 20 to No. 23
Eagles selected WR Makai Lemon due to the trade
Steelers felt embarrassed during the Pittsburgh draft
The trade intensified the Cowboys-Steelers rivalry

SteelersCowboysEaglesMakai Lemon

Report: Steelers furious with Cowboys over trade to let Eagles snatch WR Makai Lemon

The Cowboys-Steelers rivalry runs deep. And although the two storied franchises haven't squared off in a Super Bowl in over 30 years, a new chapter of the decades-long grudge match may have been written during the opening round of the 2026 NFL draft.

"Pittsburgh is pissed about this," said the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Nick Harris on the "House of Haymaker" show Friday. "They feel like Dallas duped them. Especially with the draft being in Pittsburgh, they felt embarrassed on a national stage."

It all centers on the trade Dallas made to fall back three spots from No. 20 to No. 23. The Cowboys ended up with UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence and gave their previous slot to the division-rival Eagles, who selected USC wide receiver Makai Lemon.

But that's not how it looked like it was going to go down in the moment.

The Steelers, sitting at No. 21, apparently made an early phone call to Lemon to tell him they were about to draft him, just as soon as Dallas made their seemingly inevitable pick of a defensive player.

TV cameras even captured Lemon on the phone in the green room with Steelers GM Omar Khan, but then Lemon asks out loud, "Hey, why is Philly calling me?"

Unbeknownst to anyone in the Steelers organization, the Cowboys and Eagles had worked out a deal. Philly jumped up and claimed Lemon at No. 20, and Pittsburgh was left empty-handed, even as they were still on the phone with the prospect they had just lost.

According to Harris, the Cowboys had been fully prepared to stay put at No. 20 and select Lawrence, even though they wanted to trade back. And it may have been a casual check-in between old co-workers that tipped the Cowboys off to a possible way to do it.

Q&A

Why are the Steelers angry with the Cowboys over the 2026 NFL draft?

The Steelers are furious because the Cowboys' trade allowed the Eagles to select WR Makai Lemon, which they perceive as a betrayal.

What trade did the Cowboys make during the 2026 NFL draft?

The Cowboys traded back three spots from No. 20 to No. 23, which enabled the Eagles to draft USC wide receiver Makai Lemon.

How did the Cowboys' trade affect the Steelers' draft plans?

The trade embarrassed the Steelers, especially since the draft was held in Pittsburgh, and they felt it undermined their position on a national stage.

What was the outcome of the Cowboys' trade in the 2026 NFL draft?

As a result of the trade, the Cowboys selected UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence while the Eagles picked Makai Lemon.