Popular YouTube figure Fred Beyer has received an indefinite suspension from the NFL after he rushed the stage to announce the No. 67 overall pick during the third round of the 2026 draft in Pittsburgh.
At 24 years old, Beyer documented his prank in a lengthy YouTube video, sharing that the idea originated from an interaction with former Steelers star Le’Veon Bell, who, according to Beyer, “fooled me one-on-one” a few months prior to the draft.
Wearing a black Steelers polo, Beyer managed to access the draft venue through a staff entrance, using fake credentials he created at a local office supply store.
As the time for the Las Vegas Raiders pick wound down, he dashed up the stairs to the stage.
“67th pick,” he declared before production staff quickly cut off his microphone and urged him to leave.
He went on to announce that the Steelers had chosen “Luke Maxar.” However, Beyer was soon escorted backstage for questioning by NFL officials.
“Cam Heyward was like, ‘Should I have tackled him?’ I want to DM him,” Beyer recalled, noting that Heyward was present on stage during the incident.
It was revealed that Beyer had used a false name, prompting authorities to be alerted.
As he was being led out, NFL officials handed Beyer a suspension letter, which he was asked to sign. The letter read, “You are suspended indefinitely from all NFL games and events,” explaining that the ban would be enforced across the league, with police involvement if he appeared at any events.
“I would appreciate it if you would take this opportunity to reflect on your actions,” the letter continued.
Interestingly, one of the officers asked Beyer for a photo after guiding him out of the venue.
In his video, Beyer detailed his intention to prank Pittsburgh, saying, “Le’Veon has been avoiding this smoke for far too long…I knew he had to do something he couldn’t ignore: play pranks on his own city.”
Beyer, boasting around 2 million YouTube subscribers, explained that he had grown a beard and gained about 9.5 pounds to avoid being recognized, yet fans still approached him for photos.
“Yeah, I’m going to jail tonight,” he added with a mix of humor and disbelief.
