Mason Rudolph had an icy relationship with Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback in front of him after the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up to land Rudolph in 2018, believing he could be an heir to the franchise’s quarterback throne. Should the shoe be on the other foot when the dust settles after next month’s draft, a mid-round passer finding himself in Pittsburgh, don’t expect any animosity.
Offering his opinion on what a veteran-rookie relationship could look like, Steelers.com writer Bob Labriola confidently sees Rudolph assuming a mentor role should the franchise draft the position.
“I would add to that if the Steelers do find themselves in a situation where they have Mason Rudolph as part of the depth chart at quarterback also including a rookie draft pick – either in 2025 or 2026 – he would serve as a mentor and do so willingly,” Labriola wrote as one response in his most recent Ask and Answered installment.
At the time, Roethlisberger expressed his skepticism of the Steelers’ decision to draft Rudolph. He wondered why the team didn’t focus on winning now by adding a player who could immediately see the field.
“I was surprised when they took a quarterback because I thought that maybe in the third round, you know, you can get some really good football players that can help this team now,” Roethlisberger said via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler at the time. “Nothing against Mason; I think he’s a great football player. I don’t know him personally, but I’m sure he’s a great kid. I just don’t know how backing up or being a third [string] — well, who knows where he’s going to fall on the depth chart — helps us win now.”
Though Roethlisberger and Rudolph were cordial, any learning Rudolph did was by watching. As Roethlisberger would later admit, the two didn’t have much of a friendship, and Roethlisberger became closer with Devlin “Duck” Hodges, the one-time plucky undrafted free agent who split playing time with Rudolph in 2019 following Roethlisberger’s season-ending elbow surgery.
Commenting on the relationship in 2023, Roethlisberger said Rudolph was the one who didn’t show interest in being helped.
“When Mason played with me, I tried to help him as much as I could,” Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin podcast. “Then he didn’t want my help anymore, so I backed off.”
Signed back after a year in Tennessee, Roethlisberger has yet to comment on Rudolph’s return. In 2025, that history has no bearing on the present. Rudolph has been a professional throughout his career. Roethlisberger stories aside, Rudolph quietly bided his time as the third-stringer in 2022 and 2023 before finally getting the chance late in 2023, ripping off three straight wins to push Pittsburgh into the playoffs.
Whether it consists of Aaron Rodgers and Rudolph, or a different veteran and Rudolph, or some other combination, any rookie drafted into that room will have guidance to lean on.
