QB Mason Rudolph will finish out the Pittsburgh Steelers’ regular season as the starter. After entering the year with high expectations and plenty of hope, QB Kenny Pickett will be backing him up. Despite the optics of it all, the previously third-string quarterback leaping the former first round pick, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that Pickett remains the Steelers’ guy.
“My understanding is the organization does still believe in Kenny Pickett and does not want to move on from him after the season,” Rapoport said on NFL Gameday prior to kickoff. “Still a ton of confidence that he can be a franchise starter. Just a matter of playing, right now, the quarterback who gives them the best chance.”
A final statement that seems at odds with the current situation, choosing Rudolph over a healthy Pickett in a critical game for the Steelers’ playoff hopes. There’s no question Rudolph deserves the start, rattling off two impressive wins and leading Pittsburgh to 34 and 30 points in wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks, respectively. Now, he’ll try to go 3-0 as a 2023 starter by knocking off the Baltimore Ravens’ backups in a game that means nothing to them from a playoff or seeding standpoint.
During Monday’s press conference, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin declined to talk about the future of the quarterback position. But it will be a lengthy offseason with key decisions. Pickett’s future and status with the team, if Rapoport is to be believed, will be as the team’s 2024 starter. Mitch Trubisky has a roster bonus due in March that looks far less likely of being picked up than it did at the start of the season. And Rudolph is scheduled to hit free agency, the sixth-year veteran boosting his value with each positive start he makes.
The PPG’s Gerry Dulac reported earlier this week that the Steelers intend to enter next season with Pickett as their starter and re-sign Rudolph as their backup. But whether the team will want to pay Rudolph the money he could command or if Rudolph would want to accept a deal to be a clear backup, remains to be seen.
If we assume these reports are accurate, it should shut down the possibility of the team adding a veteran arm like Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, or a younger player like Justin Fields. All three who have been mentioned in connection with Pittsburgh throughout the season. Still, expect plenty of speculation about it, and until Tomlin confirms Pickett is the team’s starter for next season, those rumors will persist.
