NFL Insider Urges Steelers To Give QB Mason Rudolph Fair Shake

The Pittsburgh Steelers originally selected quarterback Mason Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and reunited with the 29-year-old veteran in free agency this offseason.

Rudolph took a brief one-year departure from Pittsburgh after signing with the Tennessee Titans last offseason, allowing the five-year veteran to log five starts across eight appearances. Rudolph completed 64% of his passes with the Titants for 1,530 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions before signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the Steelers, presumably as the organization’s backup plan for a go-to quarterback.

However, according to Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly, the team should consider giving Rudolph a fair shake this go-around.

“I just don’t think they put him in a position to be successful,” Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan Wednesday. “We talk all the time about this is a team that can’t develop quarterbacks. I think that’s No. 1 right there. I think that’s the poster child of the Pittsburgh Steelers not being able to, not caring to, not putting the resources into developing a quarterback.”

Kaboly added: “If worse comes to worse, you have Mason out there. That’s not like dog crap out there. Mason is still a pretty good NFL football player that can get you through a season and get you to your proverbial 10 wins to 11 wins with this team.”

Rudolph did gain some starter-level experience during the 2023 season, taking over for then-starting quarterback Kenny Pickett. The Steelers went 3-0 under Rudolph’s late-season takeover and secured a playoff berth — Pittsburgh fell in the AFC wild-card round to the Buffalo Bills. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is also plenty familiar with Rudolph, plus the front office acquired star wideout DK Metcalf to pair with George Pickens in strengthening Pittsburgh’s offensive weaponry.

Quarterback Justin Fields is off the table after signing a two-year deal with the New York Jets, Russell Wilson continues to garner interest — both from the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants — and Aaron Rodgers is weighing all his options. So the possibility is on the table for Pittsburgh to miss out on Rodgers and lose a chance to retain Wilson for a second year back.

That could open the door for Rudolph to get the full-time position, albeit with the pressure of delivering.

Pittsburgh fell apart toward the tail-end of its 2024 season, losing its last five games. The team made a blink-of-an-eye postseason appearance, falling to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC wild-card round, which marked the eighth consecutive season in which the Steelers failed to win a playoff game.

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