The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a very exciting offseason in 2026, as the organization has gone through a thrilling overhaul within coaching staff. It also has had some interesting personnel moves through both free agency and the trade market. It is fair to say that the roster is in a better spot than it was a year ago, and the city has been excited as the 2026 NFL Draft is being held there. Fans wanted the Steelers to do something interesting on the first night; instead, Pittsburgh didn't do anything as the team stayed put with the 21st overall pick and got completely embarrassed.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan standing on the sidelines before an NFL game in Cincinnati during the 2025 season.
The Steelers ended up drafting offensive tackle Max Iheanachor out of Arizona State, and he could turn into a great player. He is a raw prospect, but there is a lot to like about him. The unfortunate thing is that he was the franchise's backup plan.
Pittsburgh had initially called wide receiver Makai Lemon two picks before being on the clock, but the Philadelphia Eagles caught wind of that and jumped the Steelers in the draft order. It was a bad look for the franchise, and former cornerback Bryant McFadden mentioned it as his reasoning for why his former team was the biggest loser of Round 1.
"The Steelers are my loser because of what happened, what transpired, right before their pick was up." McFadden said. "Calling Makai Lemon, there was a report they called Makai Lemon, it's legit. He was on the phone with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they had all the intent to draft him. They were letting him know that. Philadelphia pulled the switcharoo, it felt like it put Pittsburgh in a very unprepared situation."
This is a former Steeler basically calling out the organization for what happened, and there is no denying that it was a horrible look. Pittsburgh could have been proactive and moved up just one spot.
Teams do that sometimes, and it might seem pointless, but it blocks any franchise from doing what Philadelphia did to Pittsburgh on Thursday night. The Steelers have too many picks, and it wouldn't have been expensive to get a deal done. It shows that Khan had no read on Philadelphia, or another team, potentially having enough interest in Lemon to trade up for him.
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USC's Makai Lemon makes an acrobatic catch during a home game against Notre Dame.
McFadden stated that the entire scenario put the Steelers in a situation where the franchise was unprepared. General Manager Omar Khan probably wishes he had thought to move up a spot, but the Steelers did their homework on Iheanachor. It wasn't the selection that was unprepared, although the Steelers did wait quite a while to submit their pick.
Khan was probably trying to trade back since he couldn't draft Lemon. Iheanachor would have been available a little bit later in the round as well. The former cornerback voiced his frustration about the matter, and he isn't the only one. A lot of former players and members of the media are completely dumbfounded that the franchise let this happen, especially in its own backyard.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan looks on as the team sets up in front of fans to workout at the annual Friday Night Lights training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers' Omar Khan May Feel As If His Seat Getting Warm
Khan just signed an extension before the 2025 season, so he doesn't need to worry about his job security right now. However, things need to improve. The entire situation from Thursday is a stain on his reputation, and it also hurt the franchise significantly.
Pittsburgh has had clear weaknesses at quarterback and wide receiver for years, and Khan has not been able to fix those areas. There is still time to do so in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the general manager needs to find a way to make this team legitimately competitive again.
What do you think about these comments from McFadden? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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