Mason Rudolph’s standing as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ current starting quarterback could change in a moment’s notice. But until Aaron Rodgers speaks up, Rudolph is the team’s No. 1. That didn’t comfort Pro Football Focus, which ranked Rudolph [worst of any veteran quarterback](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-quarterback-rankings-all-32-starters-2025-nfl-season?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhtwitter&utm_content=null) and 31st overall in a Tuesday list of the NFL’s 32 projected starters.
Rudolph finished behind the Cleveland Browns’ Joe Flacco, Indianapolis Colts’ Anthony Richardson, and the New York Giants’ Russell Wilson. He only landed ahead of New Orleans Saints rookie Tyler Shough, the likely starter following Derek Carr’s retirement.
PFF’s John Kosko placed Rudolph in the sixth and final tier of quarterbacks labeled as “low-end starters” without long-term viability.
_“With just 850 career dropbacks and only 22 big-time throws to his name, Rudolph is firmly established as a career backup. Given that the Steelers selected Will Howard in the sixth round, it’s likely we’ll see the rookie take the field before the season is over.”_
The blurb didn’t mention Rodgers’ potential and probable addition. Calling Mason Rudolph a “career backup” is a fair and reasonable take. He’s proven to work well as a No. 2 starter off the bench, capable of running an offense and producing in short stints. In 2023, he turned around a crumbling Steelers season, helping the team rattle off three-straight wins and secure a Wild Card berth. But he’s not a long-term option capable of making Pittsburgh a true contender and his contract, a two-year, $7.5 million deal, reflects that.
Shining a light on the Steelers’ struggles to find a quarterback solution, their recent list of quarterbacks make up the bottom of PFF”s list. Wilson is 27th, Justin Fields 28th for the New York Jets, with Rudolph 31st. Rodgers would appear higher on any future list, perhaps around the top 20.
Kosko’s belief that Howard will take over as QB1 is possible but not the team’s current plan. If Rodgers doesn’t sign, the Steelers figure to add another veteran and keep Howard third string. Still, as we wrote about this morning, [the NFL starts over 60 quarterbacks](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/05/will-howard-isnt-slated-to-start-why-history-says-that-could-change/) each season and with a bit of bad injury luck, Howard could be pressed into action. If so, PFF would likely consider him the worst starter in the NFL.