PITTSBURGH -- In the matter of a 24-hour window, the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback race went from wide open to sealed shut. Mason Rudolph, the organization's former third-round pick, was the presumptive QB1 for the past three months of the offseason as the Steelers waited for Aaron Rodgers' decision. Rodgers made his decision, and now he's the Steelers' starting QB for the 2025 season, and Rudolph is relegated once again to the backup role.
Speaking for the first time since the Steelers' big move, Rudolph opened up about the situation to Kevin Goman of the Pittsburgh Tribute-Review. Rudolph's overarching sentiment was that this was expected and doesn't change much about his outlook on the season. He told Gorman that he had a "feeling" the Steelers were going to bring somebody else in, citing the noise around Rodgers' signing being at the top of everybody's conversations.
But Rudolph maintained that Rodgers' arrival won't shift his approach to the season.
"It won’t change my approach," he said. "I’ll keep doing what I’ve done my whole career. I’ve had plenty of adversity and found a way to battle through it. I stayed ready to play well when called upon."
Rudolph's mindset is key to why the Steelers brought him back to the organization. Ever since his NFL debut, he's had to work hard and wait patiently for whatever opportunity he had. He waited behind Ben Roethlisberger and a slew of potential replacements before getting a shot with another team. Even when he joined the Tennessee Titans, getting the keys to the Titans' offense took injuries and a few tough breaks. That is again the case for Rudolph, who will have to scratch and claw for any playing time in the coming season.
The Steelers have to be pleased with their quarterback group. With Rodgers at the helm, they have a backup in Rudolph who can outperform most of the backups around the NFL. They also have a valued rookie prospect in Will Howard. It all adds up to the Steelers having the most confidence in their QB position since their last postseason victory.
