If the NFL season started tomorrow, Mason Rudolph would be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. The team saw Justin Fields leave in free agency, signing with the New York Jets. The Steelers also lost Russell Wilson and Kyle Allen, turning over their quarterback room for the second offseason in a row.
While re-signing Fields was reportedly the team’s goal this offseason, Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show thinks the Steelers are better off with Rudolph, who the team brought back after he spent 2024 with the Tennessee Titans.
Appearing on The Fan Morning Show on 93.7 The Fan, Kaboly was asked who he believed was better between Fields and Rudolph.
“I think Mason,” Kaboly said.
He thinks Fields got paid based on his potential, rather than what he’s already shown as a quarterback.
“One has this untapped potential possibly. You’re still enamored with Justin Fields, with what he might be able to turn into. I think we pretty much saw Mason’s ceiling, which is not bad if you just take those last three games of 2023. I think the potential of turning into something got Justin Fields paid.”
It’s not the first time Kaboly has asserted that he thinks Rudolph is a better option for the Steelers than Fields this season.
Fields had his best stretch of football in six games with the Steelers last season. That earned him a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed from New York. It wasn’t flawless, as there were some issues with fumbles and his accuracy. He showed improvement but still had room for growth. The Steelers went 4-2 and Fields’ decision-making was clearly improved from his time in Chicago.
Meanwhile, Rudolph led the Steelers to a 3-0 record down the stretch in 2023, helping the team sneak into the playoffs before losing to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round. If the Steelers get the version of Rudolph who showed up down the stretch, it’s a fair case to make that he can be more effective than Fields. That’s far from a guarantee, though. Fields offers more upside as a runner, which is an area where he excelled as Pittsburgh’s starter.
There is likely some truth to Kaboly’s thought that Fields got paid on potential. If he can build on what he showed in Pittsburgh last season, then he’ll be an effective starter. There’s still a lot that he has to prove to live up to his first-round draft status, though. It’s not a guarantee that he’ll give the Jets the level of play they’re paying him for. Given what he did last year, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he did play well and lived up to the contract, but Kaboly’s thought isn’t completely off-base.
The Steelers are continuing to pursue free agent QB Aaron Rodgers. If he signs, we may never get a chance to see if Mason Rudolph can outperform Fields. The Steelers seem to be comfortable with starting Rudolph if Rodgers doesn’t sign. It’s an interesting comparison and both offer something a little bit different. But at the end of the day, the Steelers can’t be worrying about what Justin Fields does. They have to move forward with who’s in the building now.
