Steelers' Mike McCarthy Tries Justifying Makai Lemon Drama

The Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach addressed the team's Makai Lemon debacle from the first round of the NFL Draft.

Jan 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy speaks at a press conference introducing him as the next head coach of the Steelers at PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium.. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers stole some major headlines during Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, though not in the way that they originally hoped.

While the Steelers were on the phone with Makai Lemon in anticipation of selecting him at No. 21 overall, the Dallas Cowboys traded No. 20 to the Philadelphia Eagles, who took the USC wide receiver in a last-second maneuver.

Pittsburgh proceeded to pick Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor instead, and head coach Mike McCarthy later gave a rundown and some rationale on the entire ordeal in an appearance on the "Rich Eisen Show".

"I think the norm, in my experience, that has served me," McCarthy said. "Once you get 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 ended up in Philadelphia. I think the Good Lord always works his magic, and Max is with us.

"I feel great about the way it ended up. Like I said, Lemon, he'll do great there with Philadelphia. But we're right where we need to be, for good reason."

Mike McCarthy joins the @RichEisenShow to talk through the Steelers' No. 21 pick Max Iheanachor 🏈 pic.twitter.com/x5ma6nBGXC

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 24, 2026

How Has the Situation Impacted the Steelers?

It goes without saying that the entire situation, which included a video being made public of Lemon on the phone with the Steelers in the draft's green room in Pittsburgh before the Eagles made their move, was embarrassing.

Losing out on Lemon, who had an argument for being the best receiver in the class, after being so close to landing him would've left a sour taste regardless, but the fact that the fallout became a leading plot line from the first round made it sting way more.

Still, the Steelers should feel pretty optimistic about where things landed for them. Iheanachor is one of the higher-upside players in this year's draft, and while he's a work in progress, maybe Lemon going to Philadelphia was a blessing in disguise.

Pittsburgh still has a major need at receiver, however, and some of the names that could interest the organization on Day 2 include Washington's Denzel Boston, Alabama's Germie Bernard and Louisville's Chris Bell, the latter of whom is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered this past November.

The Steelers might have to trade up towards the top of the second round if they want any of those players, though, and considering how the Lemon debacle transpired, the team has to be uber-aggressive in landing their targets at the position.

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