The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be getting closer to solidifying their quarterback room.
After terrific outings for all three of Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar in Week 1 of the preseason, Mike McCarthy has “seen all he needs to see” from Rudolph and is giving him the week off in Week 2, meaning it will be Howard and Allar as the only two quarterbacks when Pittsburgh hosts the New York Jets on Friday.
Advertisement
This has led many to conclude that Rudolph’s spot on the roster is all but guaranteed, as McCarthy went out of his way to praise the veteran backup during training camp and Rudolph proceeded to go 10-of-11 in the preseason opener. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Rudolph was very candid about knowing what the fans want – a franchise quarterback – but also being a bit envious of the advantages they have that he lacked earlier in his career.
“I’m very aware that the fanbase is starved for a franchise QB,” Rudolph said, via Tim Benz. “People want to have hope for the future beyond this year. We’ve got two great QBs who are young and progressing. I really am jealous of the structure they have had and this program and this QB-grooming system the way that Coach McCarthy has done it because I feel that they have made a lot of strides. I’ll be rooting them on Friday.”
It certainly didn’t go unnoticed that Rudolph took a small jab at the lack structure, one could say, in complimenting McCarthy and what he has brought to the quarterback room. It’s no secret that the Steelers struggled at the quarterback position in the post-Ben Roethlisberger world – something Rudolph was there to see first hand.
From 2022-23, the quarterback room consisted of Mitch Trubisky, Rudolph, and first-round pick Kenny Pickett with Matt Canada calling plays – a far cry from a Super Bowl-winning head coach running the ship offensively. The 2023 season saw Pickett start with Trubisky and Rudolph serving as backups, with Rudolph notably swooping in for the final three games of the season to lead Pittsburgh to the playoffs, effectively ending the short-lived Pickett era. Rudolph then signed a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans before returning to Pittsburgh in 2025 to a much warmer reception than the one he had received for the vast majority of his career.
Advertisement
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
