Cowboys Respond to Steelers' Alleged Anger Over Trade Down with Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys addressed reports on Saturday that the Pittsburgh Steelers were allegedly angered by a trade that allowed the Philadelphia Eagles to draft receiver Makai Lemon at No. 20 in the 2024 NFL Draft.

According to a report, the Steelers had Lemon on the phone when the Cowboys traded down, leading to speculation that Pittsburgh was upset with Dallas for facilitating the move. However, Cowboys executives swiftly refuted the claim.

Cowboys Executives Deny Steelers' Alleged Anger

Via Jon Machota of The Athletic, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones stated, "That’s not right." Owner and general manager Jerry Jones added, "Not at all."

Jerry Jones further explained the rationale behind the trade, saying, "I don’t want to get on their bad side. I’m sorry if they’re mad. But, boy, I’ll tell you what, we’ve had it happen to us a bunch of times. It [was] traded right out from under us."

Why the Cowboys Traded Down

Jerry Jones revealed that the Cowboys traded up one spot in Round 1 with the Miami Dolphins to secure safety Caleb Downs before another team could select him. The move was a strategic effort to avoid being passed over in the draft process.

"That's how the draft works. All's fair. There's no reason for the Steelers to be upset," Jerry Jones said. "If they really wanted Lemon, they should have traded up to No. 19 or higher."

Draft Dynamics: Fair Play or Public Spectacle?

The Cowboys emphasized that the NFL Draft operates as a free-for-all, where every team competes for the best available talent. They argued that if any team should be frustrated, it should be the one that was "jumped" by another team trading up—not the team that traded down.

"That's how the draft goes. Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn't understand how the draft works," Jerry Jones stated. "And if Steelers owner Art Rooney II is upset with Jerry Jones, Rooney shouldn't be."

The Cowboys suggested that the Steelers' frustration may stem from embarrassment over the public spectacle of their missed opportunity rather than genuine anger toward Dallas.

"Our guess, with all due respect to the report that the Steelers are upset, is that the Steelers are embarrassed by the fact that their effort to draft Lemon became a public spectacle. But they aren't — and shouldn't be — upset with the Cowboys for exercising their absolute right to trade down," the Cowboys concluded.