While Aaron Rodgers isn’t sure about returning to play for the Steelers, James Harrison isn’t sure about Mason Rudolph. Even in a backup capacity, the former Steelers OLB doesn’t want to see anything handed to him. And this wasn’t even in relation to Will Howard, last year’s sixth-round pick, but generally about his play.
“I’d rather trade for one of these other cats and have a competition before I go and just let him sit there comfortably”, Harrison said of Mason Rudolph on the Deebo & Joe podcast. When co-host Joe Haden mentioned Rudolph playing last season, he shot back, “And look what he did when he came in! Threw the pick immediately”.
The Steelers drafted Mason Rudolph in the third round in 2018. He has been their backup quarterback consistently since 2019, with one major detour. After spending the 2024 season with the Titans, he returned to Pittsburgh last year.
Rudolph appeared in five games last season, making one start. He finished the game, a blowout loss, to the Seahawks in Week 2. Against the Browns, he closed out a blowout win in Victory Formation. But he had to fill in after Aaron Rodgers’ injury against the Bengals and then started the next week.
Against the Bengals, Rudolph went 12-for-16 passing for 127 yards, throwing 1 touchdown. But they still lost, 34-12. In the following game in Chicago against the Bears, he went 24-for-31 for 171 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. His last appearance of the season came against the Bills, going 0-for-3 with an interception. Rudolph also played six snaps at the end of the Steelers’ postseason loss, completing one two-yard pass.
Mason Rudolph’s time in the spotlight came at the end of the 2023 season. With Kenny Pickett injured, Mitch Trubisky struggled in his place. The Steelers finally turned to Rudolph, who stepped up with some big performances. In his first start, he went 17-for-27 for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns. A week later, he threw for 274 yards. He didn’t have to do too much in the season finale, but he did enough to send them to the playoffs.
While he kept the starting job, Rudolph and the Steelers lost in the Wild Card Round to the Bills. He had a very costly interception in the red zone that turned the tide of the game, but he played better in the second half. The following offseason, Pittsburgh pursued Russell Wilson instead, and Rudolph left in free agency.
Now he is back, but is he their best option as a backup quarterback, one step away from starting? Many already believe that Will Howard will surpass Mason Rudolph on the depth chart, anyway. He is making $3 million for this season, but Pittsburgh values its quarterback depth. Even if he is the third quarterback, that’s worth having.
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