NFL set to investigate Eagles, Steelers over Makai Lemon phone call debacle

During the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Eagles (as always) were involved in a little bit of drama. As we all know by now, the Birds leap frogged Pittsburgh to take wideout Makai Lemon at 20th overall. The Steelers, sitting at 21st overall, we’re already on the phone with Lemon and fully expected to take him with their pick.

Howie Roseman had other plans, and now Lemon is an Eagle.

Following the conclusion of the draft on Saturday, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that the NFL will investigate the matter for possible draft malpractice.

Florio on the Eagles and Steelers investigation

“On Friday night, Eagles first-round receiver Makai Lemon was ringing the bell at the Celtics-76ers playoff game,” Florio said. “The night before, he was on the horn with the Steelers, who were planning to take him with the 21st pick in the draft. Unbeknownst to Pittsburgh, the Eagles had jumped up to pick No. 20. And Philly wasn’t able to get through to Lemon, since he was talking to the Steelers.

Former Eagles exec Jake Rosenberg noted on Friday that the Steelers may have run afoul of the rules by talking directly to Lemon at a time when the Eagles were attempting to reach him. On Friday, we asked the league about the rule regarding calling prospects when another team is on the clock. Here’s the response we received earlier today: ‘The league reviews all aspects of the Draft the week after its conclusion.’ Obviously, the Steelers’ call to Lemon will fall within the scope of that review.”

It sounds like the Steelers are the ones being investigated here, not the Birds. Florio went on to call the call an “innocent mistake” and I tend to agree.

What I find funny is that the NFL has the gaul to publicly say they’re investigating something regarding Philadelphia and it’s not the Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel tampering case. Almost feels like a cruel joke the NFL is trying to pull on us. It wouldn’t be the first time, but for obvious reasons, it still pisses me off when they do it so brazenly.

Maybe the NFL finds something, maybe they don’t. Who cares. Until the NFL says they’re going to look into the Vrabel shit, I don’t care.