The Pittsburgh Steelers released an updated depth chart this week, noting QB Mason Rudolph ahead of Mitch Trubisky as the primary backup to Kenny Pickett, who is still on the mend after having tightrope surgery on his ankle a few weeks ago. Head coach Mike Tomlin noted that they were going to see how Pickett felt this week during practice, but that he would roll with Rudolph as the team’s starter should Pickett be unable to go Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Rudolph spoke to the media on Tuesday, sharing his excitement to potentially get his first regular-season start since 2021 and show the value he can bring to this team.
“Guys are excited for me and I’m excited to go out there,” Rudolph said to the media via video from 93.7 The Fan’s X page. “As the third-string quarterback, you feel like are you really earning your paycheck week to week? And so, I finally get to earn it this week and put my hand in the pile and fight for a victory together.”
Rudolph has been passed by as the potential heir apparent in Pittsburgh to Ben Roethlisberger the last couple of years, seeing the team sign Trubisky to be the team’s starter in 2022 while drafting Pickett in the first round to be its hopeful future franchise quarterback. Rudolph got a decent dress rehearsal in 2019 when Roethlisberger missed most of the season with an elbow injury, playing in 10 games while starting eight of them. He logged a 5-3 record as a starter and threw for 1,765 yards and 13 touchdowns to nine interceptions while completing 62.2% of his passes in his second NFL season.
Since then, Rudolph has started two games in place of Roethlisberger, one in 2020 when the team rested a good portion of its starters and lost in the final week of the season to the Cleveland Browns and again in 2021 when Roethlisberger missed the Detroit Lions game with COVID-19 with the contest resulting in a tie. Since then, Rudolph has been buried on the depth chart, not getting much consideration for an opportunity despite Pickett and Trubisky’s struggles.
Tomlin changed his tune on Rudolph just a week after he was asked if he gave any consideration to playing him against the Patriots, calling him a guy who’s been around the program for a while and a natural competitor who has plenty of confidence in himself. Frankly, that’s what Pittsburgh needs at this moment. Trubisky looked anything but confident in his last two starts, driving in the pocket and throwing off his back foot while also missing open receivers due to bad pocket presence and throwing the ball to the opposite team.
For a Steelers team that is facing playoff elimination after dropping three straight games, it needs better, more consistent play from the most important position in the sport. Rudolph may not be the Steelers’ long-term answer, but he may give them their best shot with Pickett banged up and Trubisky seemingly losing his purpose on the team’s roster. For a guy who got the cold shoulder during free agency and signed back for pennies this offseason, Rudolph is looking at a great opportunity Saturday to not only prove himself to Pittsburgh but the other 31 teams in the league too.
