One of the biggest surprises of the 2023 NFL season has been the emergence of Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mason Rudolph. Rudolph hadn’t started a game since the 2021 season before leading Pittsburgh to three straight wins since taking over as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback and has looked really good in the process. During an appearance on the DVE Morning Show, Rudolph said that his football IQ has grown even while on the bench, and that’s led to improved confidence and, in turn, better play on the field.
“Even though I haven’t played a whole lot of games the last three years, I’m quite aware of that your football IQ can still grow and develop. The game plans each week, I’ve tried to help, whether it be Kenny [Pickett] or Mitch [Trubisky], to the utmost extent, within reason, not being annoying or trying to say too much,” Rudolph said. “I think you go through all those weeks and obviously you’re not playing, and you’re not throwing, but your mind is working and it’s staying sharp. I think when you get out there and you’ve seen so much, you sort of carry those reps with you even though they’re mental.”
Rudolph also credited his scout-team reps, because you can play “free and careless” on scout team, and he’s been able to keep the same mindset of being free on the field when he takes reps in-game. Rudolph previously said running the scout team has prepared him to start due to all the talent on Pittsburgh’s defense.
Confidence is the most important thing a quarterback can have, and a quarterback who isn’t confident simply isn’t going to be good in the NFL. You have to trust yourself to be able to make throws and lead your team to a win, and it’s the most important position on the field. Someone lacking confidence is inevitably going to crumble at the quarterback position. For Rudolph, while it might not have been fun for him to ride the pine over the last few years, the opportunity to soak in the game and learn on the scout team and get those mental reps has seemingly helped him become more comfortable.
I think the circumstances surrounding Rudolph playing this year helped a bit too. He replaced Trubisky after Pittsburgh had lost three straight games and Trubisky had struggled in his two starts. Pickett still wasn’t ready to return from his ankle injury, and there were zero expectations surrounding Rudolph. People weren’t expecting much of anything out of him, and he went out in Week 16 and gave the Steelers their best quarterback play of the season. He continued playing well over the final two games of the regular season, getting Pittsburgh to 10-7 and a playoff berth.
The fact that Rudolph wasn’t expected to come in and be some sort of savior and Steelers fans were just hoping for something better than what Trubisky gave them likely helped Rudolph come in and assimilate without instant pressure. Whatever the case was, it’s clear that Rudolph’s confidence is the highest it’s ever been as a starter, and it’ll be fun to see how he performs in his first playoff start on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
