After Aaron Rodgers’ lengthy interview on The Pat McAfee Show this afternoon left more questions than answers, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation continues to be one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason. One insider thinks Mason Rudolph is the backup plan and that the Steelers aren’t too worried about that possibility.
“The choice of [Shedeur] Sanders makes a lot of sense for the team, as he’ll sit behind whoever is the starting quarterback for Pittsburgh in 2025,” Tony Pauline wrote via Sportskeeda. “I’m told [Mike] Tomlin is not afraid to go into the season with Mason Rudolph as his starting quarterback, as the team will lean on defense and their running game despite losing Najee Harris in free agency.”
He also mentioned people familiar with the situation have stated Aaron Rodgers is a “headache the Steelers may not want to deal with” as it continues to drag on.
There are only so many solutions to the question of who will be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2025. Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, a high draft pick, or one of a few other available (or potentially available) veteran names. Kirk Cousins could become available after the draft but would cost a decent amount on his current contract and draft capital via trade.
Other veteran free agent QBs include Carson Wentz, Desmond Ridder and Tyler Huntley. It’s not the most inspiring group of players. I don’t think any of them would likely start over Rudolph other than Cousins. If Rodgers doesn’t sign with the Steelers, they will almost certainly sign another veteran regardless of what they do in the draft.
They like to carry four quarterbacks in training camp. In that hypothetical scenario they would have Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and a rookie draft pick. There is no way they go into the season without another experienced veteran in the mix.
Tomlin obviously has a level of familiarity with Rudolph, so he at least knows what he’s getting in the meeting room and on the football field. But Rudolph would be stepping into a very different situation than the last time he started for the Steelers at the end of the 2023 season.
Najee Harris is gone, the offensive line is revamped, the offensive system has changed with a new coordinator and DK Metcalf is now in the mix at wide receiver. His familiarity with Tomlin will only do him so much good with everything else having changed around him.
Rudolph started five games for the Titans last year and completed 146 of his 228 pass attempts for 1,530 yards, nine TDs and nine INTs with a woeful 1-4 record. The Titans are picking No. 1 overall for a reason. The team and the infrastructure around him in Tennessee were nowhere near what he had (or will have) in Pittsburgh.
Afraid or not, Rudolph might be all the Steelers have got. Even if they draft a quarterback, we have seen they don’t just hand the Week 1 starting job over to a rookie. This is the hole they have dug for themselves while they continue to wait on Rodgers.
