Category: Mason Rudolph

Former Steelers’ QB set to make first 2024 start for Titans in Week 7

Mason Rudolph, the man who almost saved the Steelers 2023 post-season aspirations, is set to make his first Tenessee Titans start in Week 7.

Russell Wilson isn’t the only quarterback this week making his season debut start, as former Steelers QB Mason Rudolph is taking over signal-calling duties in Week 7. Rudolph will make his first start for the Tennessee Titans, as their former starting QB Will Levis is currently nursing a shoulder injury.

Mason Rudolph almost single-handedly revitalized the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense at the end of the 2023 season and led the team to a playoff berth against the Buffalo Bills in the 2023 AFC Wild Card game. While Rudolph couldn’t finish the job and help the ‘Steel City’ achieve their aspirations of a seventh Lombardi trophy, and would ultimately leave Pittsburgh the following offseason, Rudolph holds a special place in the hearts of Steelers fans.

Pittsburgh and their ‘Steel City’ faithful wish Rudolph all the luck in the world as he leads his Titans to take on the Buffalo Bills on October 20th at 1:00 PM EST.

QB Mason Rudolph posts heartfelt goodbye to Steelers fans

Former Steelers QB Mason Rudolph posted a heartfelt message to fans on IG.

The end was bittersweet for Mason Rudolph. When Mike Tomlin called his name to start for the first time in two years, he performed like he’d never been a third-stringer. That’s what teams want out of a depth quarterback but don’t often get.

Rudolph was at the helm for three consecutive victories to end the regular season, throwing for 719 yards and three touchdowns with a completion percentage of 74.3.

He also helped take the Pittsburgh Steelers to their third playoff appearance in four seasons.

Rudolph was auditioning for the next phase of his NFL career. And it finally paid off.

Instead of re-signing with the Steelers, where it was certain he’d be, once again, buried on the depth chart, Rudolph bet on himself. He tested free agency for the second time in six seasons and two days into the process, he found a new home with the Tennessee Titans.

Here’s the message Rudolph posted on Instagram to the millions of Steelers fans who supported him (or didn’t) since 2018.

For the past 6 years, it has been a privilege to be part of the Pittsburgh community and represent the Pittsburgh Steelers.

To my teammates, coaches, staff, Art Rooney, the Rooney family, Thomas Tull, Larry Paul, and the rest of the Steelers organization: Thank you for changing my life forever six years ago when you gave me the opportunity to wear the Black & Gold.

To the fans—your love and passion for the team is what makes it so special to play here. I will never forget playing in front of Yinz one final time this past December. All the Best. MR.

Unlike Kenny Pickett, whom most of Steelers Nation has turned their back on, Rudolph went out on a high note. And what he did for the team when they needed it most — win — is something fans will always hold him in the highest regard for.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mason Rudolph (@rudolph2mason)

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Former Steelers QB Mason Rudolph heading to Tennessee Titans

The long and winding road of Mason Rudolph’s tenure with the Steelers has finally reached an end.

The long and winding road of Mason Rudolph‘s tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers has finally reached an end.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Tennessee Titans are signing the veteran quarterback to a one-year deal worth up to $3.62 million.

The 2019 third-round pick finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,085 yards and 19 touchdowns in 21 games (13 starts).

Rudolph will back-up 2023 second-round draft pick Will Levis.

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Pittsburgh Steelers fans will forget all about Mason Rudolph

Steelers faithful will forget all about Mason Rudolph if Kenny Pickett comes out and plays like the first-rounder he was drafted as.

The NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league and, as of late, Mason Rudolph was the one who helped take the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs.

Rudolph finished with a 3-0 record to finish the 2023 regular season and, as a result, many of his teammates were calling for the veteran backup to lead the Steelers in 2024.

Against those wishes, Mike Tomlin, team president Art Rooney and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith have all said that Kenny Pickett is the starter going forward. If that’s how it actually plays out or what happens beyond that is anybody’s guess.

But one thing is certain: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and company will support whoever gets them the ball and helps win games. The memory of Rudolph will fade, and Steelers fans will forget all about him should Pickett come out and consistently lead his team to victory.

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Steelers urgency to re-sign Mason Rudolph even greater now

Mason Rudolph has the Steelers right where he wants them: A little on the needy side. 

Mason Rudolph has the Pittsburgh Steelers right where he wants them: A little on the needy side.

The Steelers are right back to where they were after Ben Roethlisberger finally retired: Without a quarterback they’re confident can be the new face of the franchise. Kevin Colbert thought he had Pittsburgh set up for success after he retired—a veteran starter in Mitch Trubisky and a young and eager rookie in Kenny Pickett. One is no longer with the team and the other is heading into a make-or-break third season.

That’s where Rudolph comes in. 8-4-1 as a starter is a solid record he (and the Steelers) should feel good about. He’ll have to learn and adjust to the new system Arthur Smith is implementing, but his familiarity with the digs should help that process along. There are worse options for both parties.

Still, Rudolph’s best chance to take the field in 2024 is with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Injury-prone Pickett hasn’t played a full season, and there’s no reason to think he suddenly will going forward. Backing up in the same place he has since he was drafted probably isn’t his ideal scenario, but if he wants to play, Pittsburgh is where it’s at.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, who’s been covering the Steelers longer than some of you reading this have been alive, is convinced the team is not bringing in a veteran starter. He is apparently as close as a reporter can get to team president Art Rooney II, and while he’s occasionally been wrong about assertions in the past, this doesn’t seem like one of them.

“In any event, the Steelers are not interested in bringing in a quarterback who wants to be a starter,” Dulac wrote on Feb. 17. “That would include Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins, and probably even Russell Wilson, who has a connection with the Steelers. They are committed to giving Pickett a third season to see if he is the guy to do more than just win a playoff game — something they haven’t done in a franchise-record seven years.”

If all the fantasizing about Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins is just that, Pittsburgh’s top priority should be ensuring Rudolph doesn’t go anywhere. Next should be hoping Pickett can develop into the first-round quarterback they drafted him to be.

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Steelers insider contemplates Mason Rudolph’s future in Pittsburgh

Mason Rudolph’s options outside of the Steelers could be pretty limited.

Mason Rudolph reportedly hopes to parlay his 3-0 record as a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season into a fresh start with a new club in 2024. But it might not be that easy. After all, Rudolph doesn’t have the luxury of picking where he goes and his options will be limited.

Either way, it’s an intriguing storyline to watch, said Brooke Pryor, Steelers insider for ESPN.

“At this point, I think it’s kind of up in the air,” Pryor said Wednesday on the Two on OSU podcast.

Steelers President Art Rooney II already stated he’d like to see Rudolph back in the black and gold, but it could just be lip service.

“I’m so intrigued to see what the Steelers do because I think that they would like to bring Mason Rudolph back, but I don’t know how Mason fits in Arthur Smith’s new system.” Rudolph does his best work in the pocket, and Smith’s system requires a more athletic, mobile quarterback.

Rudolph might also still feel the sting of what Mike Tomlin touted as an open competition in 2022. Several Steelers beat writers who covered that season’s training camp witnessed Rudolph outperforming Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky only to wind up third in the pecking order.

“I’m interested to see if Mason wants an opportunity to prove himself somewhere else because of the rollercoaster that he has been on throughout his career in Pittsburgh when there was essentially an open quarterback competition between Pickett and Trubisky, and Rudolph was supposed to be in the mix,” said Pryor.

“But as we know, it was kind of, I hate to say, a sham competition, but it was pretty much known the whole time that it was going to be Trubisky, Pickett, and then Rudolph.”

There are so many unknowns in the future at quarterback for Pittsburgh. Pickett is currently the lone signal caller on the roster, with offseason workout programs just two months away. A lot can and will happen between now and then, including the big ticket event of NFL free agency on March 13. Rudolph will test the waters of free agency for the second time in as many years, and the Steelers, in turn, might go in a different direction.

Although Rudolph did a decent job at boosting his stock with three wins to close out the Steelers’ 2023 season, he didn’t exactly face stiff competition. If he does draw interest from other teams, it’ll be as a depth guy, just as it would be in Pittsburgh.

Leaving the comfort of what’s been his NFL home for the past four seasons doesn’t always equate to a better situation. He knows Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh knows him. That alone might be enough to weigh whatever options carefully but still return to where everybody knows his name.

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Steelers on the clock over quarterback position

The Steelers have some big decisions to make about the quarterback decision and they will come quickly.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have three quarterbacks but the only one we are sure will be on the team in 2024 is Kenny Pickett. This puts the Steelers front office on the clock in coming up with a plan for how to address the position.

Mason Rudolph was the late-season hero when he took over the starting spot. Rudolph rallied the troops, played with confidence and opened up the offense. But now he is staring down free agency and after his strong finish, should have options.

Then there is Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky’s addition was supposed to be the bridge to the future after the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. But when he was called upon in 2023, he let the team down. He is, however, under contract through the 2025 season.

So what are the Steelers to do? They would save more against the cap to release Trubisky with a post-June 1 designation, meaning he might stick around a little longer. Nevertheless, there’s no value in keeping Trubisky, especially if it means losing an opportunity to re-sign Rudolph.

But what happens if Rudolph does sign somewhere else? Will this force the Steelers to keep Trubisky? That kind of decision could depend on not only other free-agent quarterbacks and the 2024 NFL draft. The team should know what’s going on with Rudolph before the draft and if he is re-signed, it would allow Pittsburgh to jettison Trubisky and fill out the depth chart with either a low-cost vet or a rookie.

However, if Rudolph leaves, Pittsburgh might want to go ahead and cut Trubisky loose and just start fresh.

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Zac Robinson’s connection to Steelers QB Mason Rudolph is strong

There is a long standing history between Mason Rudolph and Zac Robinson.

News came out on Monday that the Pittsburgh Steelers had requested permission to interview Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson for their offensive coordinator vacancy. Robinson is the first candidate we’ve heard could be interviewed.

Whenever a name comes out, we always want to look for connections and boy howdy do we have some with Robinson and Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Rudolph and Mason actually lived together as Robinson coached Rudolph in his predraft preparations ahead of the 2018 NFL draft. The Steelers selected Robinson in the third round out of Oklahoma State where Robinson also played quarterback. Robinson said he became like a big brother more than a coach as he helped set up Rudolph’s combine and pro day workouts. The two also trained together during Rudolph’s time at Oklahoma State prior to his final season.

Robinson has a great deal of familiarity with Rudolph, obviously. This could not only be a draw for Robinson to join the Steelers but also motivation for Rudolph to want to re-sign with the team.

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Why Steelers vs. Bills wild-card game could be last for QB Mason Rudolph in Pittsburgh

The NFL has called Mason Rudolph back for another audition.

The NFL has called Mason Rudolph back for another audition. He saved the Pittsburgh Steelers from missing the postseason for the second straight year, giving 31 other teams a chance to see if he might fit what they’re looking to do in 2024.

Rudolph won’t only be fighting for Pittsburgh’s postseason life Monday evening in Buffalo but also for his future as a potential starter.

Chances are, it’ll be in another city for another team.

Rudolph could be at the forefront in what’s a relatively underwhelming free-agent quarterback class. Teams like the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons could have their eye on the veteran, watching closely his performance tomorrow in Buffalo.

Given what we’ve seen these past few weeks, expect Rudolph to come to Highmark Stadium with confidence and poise. But those traits will be tested by a Bills defense that is worlds more stingy than the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and JVs of the Baltimore Ravens reserves.

Their ninth-ranked pass defense has allowed the seventh-fewest yards (280.7) by quarterbacks over the last three games. The unit held the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa to 173 yards and a score while picking him off twice last week. In Week 15, it limited Dak Prescott to 134 yards and no touchdowns with one interception.

Rudolph will be under tremendous pressure, both mentally and physically, to win a playoff game in miserable conditions. To say it’s a tall task would be an understatement.

If the Steelers can’t pull off the improbable, we’ll have likely seen the last of Rudolph in the Black and Gold. If they win and advance to the second round, it’ll increase his chances for a big payday — but it won’t be in Pittsburgh.

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Steelers quarterback future all hinges on Mason Rudolph

At some point in the next four weeks, the Steelers 2023 season will be over and they’ll again be faced with some big decisions at the most important position on the team.

At some point in the next four weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season will be over, and they’ll again be faced with some big decisions at the most critical position on the team.

While they already have their quarterback for the next two seasons, maybe more (yes, that’s Kenny Pickett), an instant starter-capable backup is paramount. Pickett has yet to play a full season and remains in the developmental phase of his career.

That could be Mason Rudolph, but the Steelers have been so hot and cold with him that it wouldn’t be surprising if he gave them the middle finger and went elsewhere.

That is unless Mike Tomlin crosses his heart in a promise of a true quarterback competition this offseason. He could be lured back with the opportunity to earn the starting gig.

But all of this depends on what Rudolph does, which is months away from being determined. Should he jump ship, it’ll be not one but two quarterbacks the Steelers will have to bring in (provided the Steelers dump Mitch Trubisky).

“It all is going to hinge on what Rudolph does,” The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly wrote. “If Rudolph leaves as a free agent, then yes, they have to bring in somebody, but I can’t see it being competition for Pickett as the starter. I’m telling you: Pickett is going to get every benefit of the doubt as a first-round pick and probably should. Where the Steelers screwed up was by bringing back Matt Canada in January, starting what has snowballed into the belief that Pickett is a bust.”

For his own best interest, Rudolph will want to test the free-agent market. And given the value of a starter-worthy backup, he has leverage for the first time in his career.

Though he appears to be a nice guy and solid teammate, he’d never utter the words — Pickett’s injury and the botched Trubisky Experiment couldn’t have come at a better time for Rudolph’s future. No matter what happens in the postseason, he came in with little to no quality reps since 2019 and performed well enough to win games and keep their quest for a Lombardi Trophy alive. Teams desperate for a guy like that will pay top dollar for his services — a luxury he’s not yet tasted in his six-year career.

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