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That’s right, Makai Lemon. You’ll be in Midnight Green next year instead of Black and Gold. One week before the Philadelphia Flyers sent the Pittsburgh Penguins packing with a thrilling overtime victory 4–3 thriller — the Philly vs. Pittsburgh rivalry proved to be alive and well when the Eagles interrupted a call from the Steelers to Lemon to move up and select Makai with the 20th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Literally.
For many of us growing up around the Delaware Valley — historically when the Eagles season was over with a playoff loss or not even have qualified for the NFL Playoffs at all — we casually watched the Steelers. In the 1970s — before Dick Vermeil showed up in South Philadelphia and instilled a new kind of discipline into the Eagles which translated into winning — the legendary Steel Curtain Pittsburgh defense was the team to watch. And then again in the early 1990s — while the Eagles were featuring an annual early-playoff exit year after year — Bill Cowher’s Steelers were among the best teams in the AFC.
And why not cheer for another Pennsylvania team?
After all — the Eagles and Giants rivalry began at the Polo Grounds in 1933, the Washington rivalry not long after that. And then in the 1970s —a hatred towards those Dallas Cowboys — culminating in a 1981 NFC Championship Game at Veterans Stadium.
But somewhere in between wishing that those Eagles’ teams were more competitive and the swirling animosity directed at our cross-state neighbors — a rivalry began fueled by Pittsburgh fans flaunting of multiple Super Bowl victories.
The Flyers and Penguins rivalry heated up, the Phillies and Pirates, too. But perhaps — it was a merger of necessity during World War II — when the war-depleted rosters of each team forced a merger of convenience and the Steagles were born. The 1943 Steagles didn’t win anything. But the end of World War II was the beginning of the Eagles ascension to dominance in the late 1940s — and eventually the Steelers — to mediocrity.
PHOTO: Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
So while we are on the topic. The Steelers haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 2010 — the Eagles have played in three during that time. The Eagles have two Super Bowl victories in the last eight years — as well as three conference championships. The Eagles are a Super Bowl contenders once again in 2026, the Steelers are now rebuilding under Mike McCarthy.
And Philly has Makai Lemon on the roster now, too.
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Categorized:Eagles More PHL News Unique Columns
