PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It is the wish of the Steelers organization to have Mason Rudolph return to the roster. This is not their decision alone, the sixth-year quarterback is a free agent. Why would he want to return?
Mike Tomlin has made it clear Kenny Pickett will be the starting quarterback. He added there will be competition, but that it's a huge year for Pickett. He repeated it's a huge year for the 2022 first-round pick. Translation-we will ride with Pickett and give him every chance to succeed.
Why would Rudolph want to go through that again?
Two years ago, at this time of year following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement, Rudolph was the only quarterback on the roster. The team then proceeded to find any and every other quarterback-they re-signed Dwayne Haskins, then signed Mitch Trubisky as a free agent and a month later drafted Pickett.
They told him then after languishing behind Roethlisberger there was no future for him in Pittsburgh. He didn't help himself with his performance in 2019 after Ben's elbow injury, but he dealt with a lot that year-a concussion and the entire situation in Cleveland which led to a firestorm across the league.
Steelers didn't want him then, but hung onto him in case of emergency. Two years later, Trubisky was unplayable and Pickett was injured, only then did he get another shot. This time he would take advantage and go 3-0 down the stretch as the Steelers made the playoffs.
Here is what Tomlin said of his performances.
"I don't think that any of us can deny what we've seen over the last month or so," Tomlin said Thursday. "I cannot underscore how impressive it is to be ready. Forget performance man, to be ready, to deliver and he was. And that preparedness showed. And so, certainly. You know we're less speculative about his capabilities because there's evidence of it. And evidence of it in tough circumstances."
Is that enough of an endorsement for Rudolph?
Each of the last two years Rudolph hoped for more, or any, first-team reps in training camp. Even when Pickett was third-string to start training camp in 2022, it was Trubisky's job. Why? Because he was a free agent signing?
Then last year Rudolph came in knowing he had no chance and truly did not. Never was he even given a look, rather his job was to give the defense a look as the scout team QB.
You would think Mason wants more. He won't get that here.
Rudolph may find free agency cruel once again. He probably thought he would get an opportunity last year and found nothing. The 28-year-old started pondering his post-football career. Got to figure at least one team would find him intriguing after how he played to end the season, but what if that is with a team that only keeps two quarterbacks on the roster?
What if it's a situation like Carolina where they are committed to their first-round pick. He might be closer to home in South Carolina, but find himself with little opportunity to play.
Much of where Rudolph lands is up to what his expectations are. If he wants to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, leave. That is a long-shot he would be offered that opportunity.
If he is content with being a backup with the potential to play due to injury, Steelers are an option, but not his best.
As he said right before starting against the Bengals in December, Rudolph was cautiously optimistic he would actually start, but wondered if the rug would be pulled out from under him once again as a Steeler.
Why would he put himself through that again?
