Steelers Wait On Rodgers, Wilson – But Could Newly-Signed Mason Rudolph Be Their Starter?

The Pittsburgh Steelers rolled through 2024 with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson as their quarterbacks, posting an impressive season before losing their last four games and, in a seemingly perennial move, getting washed out of the playoffs in the first round. By all accounts, the team wanted to keep Fields, despite relieving him of the starting position for Wilson. But the New York Jets got there first – and now the Steelers are working on contingencies.

That’s where quarterback Mason Rudolph comes in. He returns to Pittsburgh, his draft team, on a two-year deal after a single season away with the Tennessee Titans. Rudolph was largely a career backup for the Steelers, sitting behind Ben Roethlisberger and later Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett, but proved an important asset with injuries and poor starter play.

The Steelers will be hoping for Rudolph to reprise his role as backup, but the free agent quarterback pool continues to shrink. Wilson is visiting the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, and is a sought-after commodity in a thin market – not to mention that Pittsburgh reportedly sees him as “Plan B.” Meanwhile, the Steelers are competing with the Giants and potentially the Vikings to land Aaron Rodgers following his unfortunate stint with the Jets.

As the Las Vegas Raiders demonstrated earlier this offseason, quarterback fortunes can change in a moment. There aren’t many to go around, and if Pittsburgh doesn’t make a concerted push for Rodgers or Wilson, it’s likely that Rudolph will be their day one starter.

Rudolph, entering his seventh season in the NFL, went 8-4-1 as a starter in Pittsburgh. The 2024 season saw him step in for Will Levis in Tennessee, posting nine touchdowns and nine interceptions and going 1-4, along with a 63.7% completion percentage.

There doesn’t appear to be an absolute right or wrong option for the Steelers at this point in the offseason. Being forced to start Rudolph, however, probably wouldn’t elicit much fan enthusiasm.