Does Mason Rudolph Deserve a 17-Game Opportunity?

[Steeler Nation]

Now that we have seen many college quarterbacks compete at the NFL Combine this week, the question remains as to whether or not the Pittsburgh Steelers will be willing to take a chance on a young talent in this year’s upcoming NFL Draft. We have heard each top prospect’s name be mentioned in the same sentence as the Steelers in regards to a potential landing spot in 2022, and General Manager Kevin Colbert and Head Coach Mike Tomlin have been very active in following around the quarterback groups throughout this process. There is no question the Steelers are looking to add to the quarterback room, but in what regard?

Do we really see the Steelers organization making a drastic move to select a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft? Especially when this team itself has so many holes to fill, in a win now type of season. There are a handful of intriguing prospects that could potentially still be there when the Steelers select at pick #20. Or do we see the Steelers addressing the position through free agency or trade? Signing or trading for an NFL veteran to come in and run the offense that coordinator Matt Canada would prefer to run, could serve as a benefit to a team with playmakers on both sides of the ball. No matter what the case, SteelerNation needs to get used to seeing a different number (other than #7) behind center for many years to come.

The most likely option, in my eyes, is letting fourth year quarterback Mason Rudolph take the reins next season, and see what he can accomplish within a full 17-game season. I know this isn’t the most popular take, but do we really think we have seen enough of the young quarterback to determine whether he would be a successful NFL starter or not? Rudolph gets a bad reputation because of his inability to look comfortable in the pocket, and he certainly doesn’t fit the mold of the “mobile” quarterback type that is taking over the NFL as of late, but the young quarterback has been receiving confidence from his front office publicly as of late.






Colbert said of Rudolph:

“If we started a season today, Mason would be our starter, and we’re excited to see where that can go. Mason’s 5-4-1 as an NFL starter, albeit in a backup kind of role, but we’re excited to see what is next for Mason.”

Rudolph is entering his fifth season under Mike Tomlin and the Steelers organization and has sat behind a future Hall of Fame quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, in doing so. Due to Roethlisberger’s injury back in 2019, Rudolph was forced to start in 8 games, where we really saw the most of him. He threw for 1,765 yards with 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions and ended with a 5-3 record, keeping the Steelers playoff hopes alive up until the last week of the season.

Excuses can be made for anyone around the league, but Rudolph has legitimate ones. That season in 2019, Rudolph had a head injury in just his second start against the Baltimore Ravens that essentially knocked him out of the game. Though many thought he would be out for at least a few weeks, Rudolph only missed one game and was back under center just two short weeks later. Due to Roethlisberger’s injury, it was clear that Rudolph rushed back into play without fully recovering, and it clearly had an effect on his play for the remainder of the season. Rudolph did not look like the same type of player he did in those first two games he had appeared in.






Then in 2021, he found out late on a Saturday night that he was going to be the starter for a 1:00pm Sunday game against the Detroit Lions due to Roethlisberger contracting COVID-19. Obviously the outcome wasn’t what SteelerNation was expecting as the Steelers tied the Lions 16-16 in a rainy, cold Pittsburgh weather type of overtime battle that lasted up until the end. In my opinion, Rudolph didn’t play badly, throwing for 242 yards and a touchdown, while showing a tiny bit of “escapability” out of the pocket rushing four times for 36 yards. There were two fumbles lost by the Steelers in crunch time in enemy territory. In my opinion, Rudolph’s play was not the reason the Steelers lost that game.

I don’t know what the right answer is. Is Mason Rudolph the answer to what Ben Roethlisberger accomplished all of these past 18 years? Or will the Steelers decide to look elsewhere in hopes of finding their next franchise quarterback? The draft is just a few weeks away, and many of our questions will be answered relatively quicker than we think, but as of now, it sounds like the Steelers organization and General Manager Kevin Colbert is confident in putting Rudolph behind center in 2022.

“I’m comfortable that Mason has won more games than he’s lost as a starter,” Colbert said. “Where that can go, we’ll see. To be an NFL starter that you can win with, you gotta prove it over 16 games. I’m anxious to see that, if that’s the case.”

Do you think Rudolph deserves a full 17-game opportunity? Comment below!

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[black and gold apex]

He does deserve a chance look how many Tomlin gave some of these players that are now gone

 

[LeXX75]

My 7 year old grandson : "pop pop are the Steelers really dumb enough to let Mason Red Nose be the starting QB next year?"

 

[BLITZ]

I can think of a ton of QBs that ended up having very good careers after slow starts.

of course, he deserves a chance

unless we get someone better

 

[miiike]

Unless something surprising happens and the Steelers can get an exciting option (such as a good QB dropping in the draft or a reasonable trade for an established one ), I would prefer to let Rudolph play the year and see what happens and, more importantly, build for the future.

One thing that is interesting to me though is that I think Rudolph is on a one year deal. If he actually were to have success, it would put us in a potentially tough situation in negotiating a new contract. So, if they do plan on giving him the year, I wonder whether we should negotiate at least a one year extension now. He would likely remain the back up after next season anyway.

 

[steelcan58]

If Mason Rudolph was released today would he start for any other NFL team? That said I would rather go into the season with Rudolph as the starter than reach for a QB in the draft, trade for a QB (Garrapolo etc) or over pay for a FA. Steelers have other areas that need to be addressed.

 

[Litos]

Especially if we draft a QB in the 1st round Rudolph will be starting. The rookie, whoever he is will need time to learn and practice, I seriously doubt the team starts him from the get go.

Now if they bring a vet FA then it's a real training camp battle.

 

[Badcat]

 

[slashsteel]

Especially if we draft a QB in the 1st round Rudolph will be starting. The rookie, whoever he is will need time to learn and practice, I seriously doubt the team starts him from the get go.

Now if they bring a vet FA then it's a real training camp battle.

Which Rudy would more than likely lose. Unless they brought in a scrub. TLC advises against it.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

Rudolph deserves what he earns in OTAs, mini-camp and training camp. And then he deserves what he can hold onto throughout the season. Nothing more, nothing less. This idea that Mason is somehow owed the QB1 position and shouldn't have to actually earn it/compete for it through the offseason is crazy. And during the season, his play should be evaluated also. If he gives you the best chance to win, then he keeps the job. If someone else outperforms him, he doesn't. But "deserve" a 17 game opportunity without having to compete for it? What exactly has he done that he should have that written in stone?

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Sure, why not.? He has had 3 years in the system. He's gotten coached up and has all the confidence of the front office. I think he deserves a shot. Maybe he doesn't make it out of camp as #1. But if the Steelers draft a QB in 2nd or 3rd, I can see the Steelers giving him a legit shot at the season.

 

[SteelerSask2]

Nobody deserves anything. They either want to give him a chance to compete or think have seen enough to say no we are bringing in someone we will announce as starter before training camp. I think he has earned a chance to earn the job but it won't be guaranteed for the year.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Yeah, The whole "17 game Opportunity" is too much..

 

[livingthrudying]

Only thing he "deserves" is a chance to compete (personally i think he reeks of another Tomlin/Colbert player that they refuse to acknowledge they made a mistake on). As i always say in any thread about Mason Rudolph. This guy couldn't hold off a undrafted player in Duck Hodges (who isnt even in the NFL anymore). I am sorry but every starter in this league could beat out Duck. Loved the guy and how much he helped us but there is a reason the Duck is not in the NFL anymore. THe real question is if he Beat out Mason even once why is mason still in the league or on our roster?

 

[Superman]

 

[SteelerFan448]

At no point through his career with the Steelers has Rudolph showed enough for the Steelers to even think about moving on from an aging and breaking down Roethlisberger. If they thought Rudolph was a legit starter moving forward, Ben wouldn't have gotten his retirement tour this year.

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

Only thing he "deserves" is a chance to compete (personally i think he reeks of another Tomlin/Colbert player that they refuse to acknowledge they made a mistake on). As i always say in any thread about Mason Rudolph. This guy couldn't hold off a undrafted player in Duck Hodges (who isnt even in the NFL anymore). I am sorry but every starter in this league could beat out Duck. Loved the guy and how much he helped us but there is a reason the Duck is not in the NFL anymore. THe real question is if he Beat out Mason even once why is mason still in the league or on our roster?

SO sick of hearing people say he couldn't hold off Duck. He was still hurting from being knocked cold. He shouldn't have been on the field yet. He was far better than Duck. Duck had the story and swagger but what he didn't have was an arm. Mason, as I have said repeatedly played pretty well before the KO and then when he was actually recovered against the Jets he looked pretty damn good before the line let him get his shoulder torn off. The biggest issue he faced was the same Ben faced bad play calling and bad line play. He deserves a chance to start training camp as the one and then he has to earn it from there. No one should be given anything regardless of who they are.

 

[Djfan]

He deserves his fair chance coming out of camp, just like the other QBs we have there will.

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

At no point through his career with the Steelers has Rudolph showed enough for the Steelers to even think about moving on from an aging and breaking down Roethlisberger. If they thought Rudolph was a legit starter moving forward, Ben wouldn't have gotten his retirement tour this year.

Just saying he has shown more in his 10 starts than Terry did in his first two years. In no way am I saying he is a Bradshaw but jesus he has only started 10 games with an offense designed or Ben and run by ******* idiots. Maybe he isn't the answer but he hasn't proven he isn't. Give him some preseason as the guy and see if he can hold off the competition.

 

[BLITZ]

Only thing he "deserves" is a chance to compete (personally i think he reeks of another Tomlin/Colbert player that they refuse to acknowledge they made a mistake on). As i always say in any thread about Mason Rudolph. This guy couldn't hold off a undrafted player in Duck Hodges (who isnt even in the NFL anymore). I am sorry but every starter in this league could beat out Duck. Loved the guy and how much he helped us but there is a reason the Duck is not in the NFL anymore. THe real question is if he Beat out Mason even once why is mason still in the league or on our roster?

when did he beat out Mason?

 

[FSF]

Deserve & Earn are two different things.

Has he earned a chance to start for a season.

Based on actual production - NO

 

[MeanJim]

I think he deserves a chance to compete with Mitch Trubisky (or similar grade free agent), while the Steelers rebuild the offensive line. Best of luck to both of them on being forced to throw 2 yard passes and not getting killed.

 

[SteelerSask2]

In the immortal words of William Munny in Unforgiven.........Deserves got nothing to do with it.

 

[FSF]

Just saying he has shown more in his 10 starts than Terry did in his first two years. In no way am I saying he is a Bradshaw but jesus he has only started 10 games with an offense designed or Ben and run by ******* idiots. Maybe he isn't the answer but he hasn't proven he isn't. Give him some preseason as the guy and see if he can hold off the competition.

This is an awful argument.

Bradshaw was considered at the 1970 draft the highest rated prospect in years and there would not be another QB prospect that was considered as high until 1983 & John Elway.

Bradshaw sucked at a time when the Steelers were awful & passing was incredibly difficult. 2000 yard seasons were top level.

The fact is Bradshaw had raw talent that Rudolph couldn’t dream of having. Heck—only maybe 10-15 QBs to ever play the game can even be considered to be at his level.

 

[steelcan58]

Just saying he has shown more in his 10 starts than Terry did in his first two years. In no way am I saying he is a Bradshaw but jesus he has only started 10 games with an offense designed or Ben and run by ******* idiots. Maybe he isn't the answer but he hasn't proven he isn't. Give him some preseason as the guy and see if he can hold off the competition.

Bradshaw at least showed a rocket arm and a lot of mobility. What has Rudy shown?