In recent days, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation has dominated the conversation for the Black and Gold heading into their season finale against the Baltimore Ravens.
As is well-known at this point, head coach Mike Tomlin turned to Mason Rudolph for good at the position this season despite perceived franchise quarterback Kenny Pickett being healthy entering Week 18.
Typically, Tomlin likes to say that a player cannot lose his job due to injury, but he’s adjusted that thinking at the most important position in sports due to Rudolph’s impressive play in the last two weeks. Rudolph has led the Steelers to 30 or more points in both games, getting the Steelers to 9-7 and on the cusp of the playoffs.
For former NFL defensive end J.J. Watt, who appeared on The Pat McAfee Show Wednesday, the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh is fascinating, but he feels for Pickett having to take a backseat with the Steelers in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
“You also have to put yourself in Kenny’s shoes there and think like that old, old adage. Some coaches have it, some coaches don’t, where they say a guy can’t lose his job to injury,” Watt said to McAfee, according to video via his Twitter page. “I’m not saying that he lost his job for good by any stretch. They obviously have conversations this offseason there, but like, Kenny’s done everything right. Kenny’s done everything right by all accounts.
“He’s an unbelievable guy, unbelievable teammate and everything, so you put yourself in his shoes. It does have to be a little bit tough to, to sit there and not be able to go out there and perform and do the things you want to do. But like I said, if I’m Tomlin and I’m sitting in that room, you just gotta ride [the hot hand].”
It certainly has to be a tough situation for Pickett. He was playing better prior to his injury. He had the best game of his career in the Week 12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the first game after the Steelers fired former offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Then, he started off the game playing well in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals.
But then he got hurt and missed the next four games. During that span, the Steelers turned to Mitch Trubisky to start games. He was awful. Then, after they turned to Mason Rudolph, they found a spark. One man’s misfortunate is another man’s opportunity. That was the case with Rudolph, and he took advantage of it and ran with it, forcing Tomlin’s hand.
For Watt, who watches every Steelers game now that he’s retired to see his brother, T.J., the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh is a fascinating one. Even with it being a tough situation for Pickett, who is a team captain, the Steelers had no choice.
“Just from a fan perspective, it’s fun. It’s fascinating to watch because you start to think about it. …With the way Mason’s played the last two weeks, the way the offense has kind of gone out there and performed the last two weeks, I don’t blame them whatsoever,” Watt added regarding the quarterback situation and the decision to stick with Rudolph. “You gotta ride that hot hand and see where it takes you here.
“…It does seem to be a little more loose, a little more free, especially than the last couple weeks. It’s fun to watch.”
It has been fun to watch the Steelers look like a competent offense, scoring points in bunches and being able to do whatever they want offensively, whether it’s throwing the football down the field and generating explosive plays or imposing their will against the opposing defense from a run-game perspective.
The Steelers had to ride the hot hand with Rudolph, especially during a playoff push. Making yet another change at quarterback, especially with Pickett having missed the time that he did, would have been an unnecessary move from Tomlin. In the end, he made the right call riding the hot hand.
