I don’t think anybody could have guessed the 2023 season playing out the way that it did for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some may have landed on the 10-7 record and playoff berth, but the way they got there was unusual. QB Kenny Pickett, the hopeful successor to Ben Roethlisberger, finished the season on the bench and none other than Mason Rudolph helped drive three-straight victories that the team rode into the playoffs. It wasn’t long ago that fans were upset that the Steelers chose to bring Rudolph back as QB3 last offseason. He was frequently written off as a wasted draft pick during Roethlisberger’s prime.
That is why there is so much unusual discourse this offseason surrounding the quarterback position in Pittsburgh. Some want Rudolph to return as the starter. Some want Pickett to get another chance. And others want the Steelers to punt to an external candidate in free agency or the 2024 NFL Draft.
Bryant McFadden and Patrick Peterson chimed in on a recent episode of their All Things Covered podcast. Peterson ultimately holds the opinion that Pickett should be the starter, but McFadden was a bit more hesitant in brushing Rudolph off as the option.
“I think Kenny will get an opportunity to run with the ones, but I also do believe Mason should get that same opportunity as well,” McFadden said. “This past year, he really [showed] the ability to lead an offense.”
Of course, Rudolph can only be an option if he comes to an agreement with the Steelers before or during free agency, which starts in a few weeks. A pending unrestricted free agent, he will hold the power to negotiate with any team in the league. He was complimentary of the Steelers’ organization and said all the right things when asked at the end of the season, but NFL Network’s insiders reported that he has indicated he is interested in a fresh start via free agency.
McFadden expanded on the traits that stood out to him, and the reasons why he believes Rudolph deserves that opportunity just as much as Pickett.
“To add to some of the differences between quarterbacks from what we saw in 2023, Mason played with more confidence,” McFadden said. “He seemed to be more emotionally involved in the game…you could tell the difference in experience with Mason and Kenny.”
Looking back to Pickett’s rookie season, there was a moment where many people were sold on him. That moment was when he got in the face of Buffalo Bills DE Shaq Lawson after a low hit at the end of a play. He showed that fire and emotion in that moment. He didn’t show that same energy throughout the 2023 season, to McFadden’s point. Though I suppose it is hard when your unit is getting booed off the field multiple times a game by the home crowd.
The team rallied behind Rudolph to end the season, which makes the whole situation much more complicated. We will know in a few short weeks at the start of free agency what the plan is at quarterback. If Rudolph chooses to re-sign, you can read between the lines that the Steelers told him there would in fact be a true competition for the starting job.
