Although the Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to sign Aaron Rodgers, they do have Mason Rudolph. Mike Tomlin made it clear he’s comfortable rolling with Rudolph as the Steelers’ starting QB. That might not inspire confidence in fans, though. Rudolph is a fine backup, but starting an entire season might be a little much for him. Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson thinks Tomlin was less than forthcoming when he said that.
“I was just getting ready to give you that example of what Mr. [Jimmy] Haslam just said in telling the truth, saying that we missed,” Johnson said recently on his Nightcap podcast. “And then, on the next hand, we got Mike Tomlin giving us a lie. Don’t tell me the beautiful lie. Tell me the truth.
“We don’t have a quarterback right now. We don’t. I should be unsettled. You shouldn’t be comfortable right now, because you haven’t had a quarterback in a while. In order to compete in the AFC North and to get back to the historic run that the Steelers are known for, winning championships, you need a goddamn quarterback. That’s it. That’s why I say you sound like a politician.”
Johnson is referencing how Jimmy Haslam, owner of the Cleveland Browns, was very honest about his team’s quarterback situation. He didn’t hold back when talking about how Deshaun Watson hasn’t panned out for the Browns.
In comparison, it might seem like Tomlin is stretching the truth. However, when Rudolph was last with the Steelers in 2023, he helped them make the playoffs. He was their best quarterback that year. Although they lost their first postseason game, Rudolph wasn’t the main reason for that.
Therefore, Tomlin might actually be comfortable with Rudolph as his starter. He’s very familiar with Rudolph. The Steelers’ offense is arguably more talented now than it was in 2023, too. Maybe they could fight for a playoff spot with Rudolph.
Johnson is correct that the Steelers would likely face an uphill battle in trying to win the AFC North with Rudolph. Could they win a playoff game with Rudolph starting? It’s tough to envision that happening. He just doesn’t give them a high enough ceiling.
It feels like there’s almost no way the Steelers could win the Super Bowl with Rudolph as their starter. Nothing is impossible, but that would be stunning. Tomlin’s stated goal every year is competing for a Super Bowl. From that standpoint, he probably shouldn’t be comfortable starting Rudolph if it comes to that.
The Steelers’ pursuit of Rodgers makes it seem like they understand that, too. He raises their ceiling. Obviously, Tomlin isn’t going to throw Rudolph under the bus, nor should he. However, if the Steelers don’t land Rodgers, then Tomlin will likely need to get as comfortable as possible with Rudolph as QB1. There aren’t many better options available.
