- The Pittsburgh Steelers will decide on their quarterback situation later in the offseason, but for now, players are hoping it’s Mason Rudolph.
Pittsburgh The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of unanswered questions going into the summer. The largest one is answered when Mike Tomlin informs the players that he will return in 2024, which elevates their quarterback position to the top of the list. However, it seems like Mason Rudolph should stay their guy if you inquire around the locker room.
There is a thought that in 2024, the Steelers will give Kenny Pickett another chance to establish himself as the team’s quarterback and take the field. Although he was selected in the first round of the NFL, his 13 touchdowns to 13 interceptions don’t bode well.
Rudolph’s tenure as the starter gave players in the locker room—like those who do not consider draft stock—more hope for the future.
“I’ve traveled on the Mason plane, so his lack of action wasn’t something I was surprised by. Diontae Johnson, a wide receiver, said following the Bills defeat, “I kind of had high hopes of him doing what he’s been doing when he became the starter.” “I hope he gets the job next year, and do what he’s got to do, but he did a great job in my opinion.”
Pittsburgh’s season-ending 3-1 run featured two significant moments:
- First back-to-back 30-point games since Week 5 and Week 6 of the 2020 season.
- The most offensive yards in a game since 2018.
- First Steelers quarterback to pass for 250 yards and two touchdowns since Ben Roethlisberger in 2021.
- Longest completion by air distance since 2017 by the Steelers
- 130 yards in the first quarter against the Bengals, marking the most by a Steelers quarterback since 2018.
The Steelers will need to re-sign Rudolph and will likely compete with other teams looking for him to audition for their starting job. He signed a one-year, $1 million deal this offseason after getting little to no attention from other teams.
While money always plays a significant factor in the NFL, opportunity probably will as well. Will the Steelers tell Rudolph he can come back and be the starter in 2024?
“I’m expecting that,” running back Jaylen Warren told All Steelers. “He went out there, did his thing as we all saw. Very competitive. He put the ball in the right places when it needed to be.”
