As the Pittsburgh Steelers near kickoff against the Carolina Panthers in their final preseason game, one thing we know for certain is that QB Aaron Rodgers will not be under center at any point. Sitting out the other two games, Rodgers will be a DNP this summer, a choice by head coach Mike Tomlin has left some people scratching their heads. Charles Davis, however, isn’t among them.
“I think we all have to flip ourselves over to Pittsburgh’s side of it and say, okay, if Aaron Rodgers goes down, who’s playing quarterback for us?” Davis said Thursday on CBS Sports HQ. “Mason Rudolph. Look, I like Mason Rudolph. I think he’s a very competent backup quarterback in the NFL. But if they believe he was the guy, there never would have been a move for Aaron Rodgers. So, that just tells you everything you need to know right there.”
That was a common refrain when the Steelers re-signed Rudolph this offseason after letting him walk and opting for the duo of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in 2024. If the Steelers truly believed that Mason Rudolph was the answer at quarterback, why wasn’t he the starter in 2024?
The Steelers have pinned their 2025 hopes and dreams on the success of Aaron Rodgers.
“You got to do everything possible to make sure that Aaron Rodgers is taking the snap for you every ball game this year,” Davis said. “Because, Pittsburgh, their mission isn’t just to make the playoffs. It’s to obviously win the division, if possible, but not just make the playoffs, but win a playoff game… It’s been since 2016, and the last three times out in the playoffs, they’ve gotten blown out. That’s not Pittsburgh Steeler football.
“That’s not what we’re used to out of them, where you see them truly being contenders. The only chance they have of being a contender this year is if Aaron Rodgers takes the snap.”
It’s evident that the Steelers believe that Aaron Rodgers is their best chance at contending this year. He may not have been their first choice at the start of the offseason. But when it came down to it and the options were set in front of them, he was their best bet.
Yes, Mason Rudolph helped get the Steelers to the playoffs in 2023. He stepped in after Kenny Pickett got hurt and Mitch Trubisky fell flat on his face. Rudolph reeled off three straight wins to close out the season to give the Steelers a chance at a playoff berth. But against the Buffalo Bills, Rudolph wasn’t able to get them that coveted postseason win. He’s good enough, at this point in his career, to step in when the starter goes down for a few games. But he isn’t going to elevate the Steelers to contender status.
The Steelers believe Aaron Rodgers is good enough to do that when paired with their defense. That’s why he hasn’t set foot on the field in the preseason. Yes, he can get hurt in the regular season just like in the preseason. But if that happens in a meaningful game, so be it. Cost of doing business. Preseason injuries for a starter are more avoidable than a regular-season injury.
The Steelers decided that, above all else, they wanted to avoid an injury to Aaron Rodgers this preseason. As Charles Davis pointed out, everything hinges on Aaron Rodgers staying healthy. They’d rather deal with a slower start on offense than risk injury right now. But former NFL CB Dominique Foxworth thinks that the Steelers are making a mistake by not playing him. Foxworth pointed out Rodgers’ slow start last year with the New York Jets after sitting out the preseason, as well as the new offense and new teammates.
Who will prove to be right? If the Steelers win a playoff game this year, Davis and the Steelers will be right. If Rodgers struggles and the Steelers struggle, then Foxworth is. As for Rodgers himself, he spoke about his views on preseason and seeing value in a joint practice, like the one the Steelers had with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before their preseason game.
