The NFL free agent market has been humming and, while the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t been passive, they have been less active than expected. Today the made their first move at quarterback, and it is a surprise.
The Steelers opted to reconnect with a familiar face, but not the one everyone expected to see, as they signed Mason Rudolph to a 2-year contract worth a reported 8 million dollars.
Mason Rudoph and Najee Harris during the Steelers 2023 win over the Seahawks. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come
It says here that Mason Rudolph’s return to Pittsburgh should end the franchise’s flirtation with Aaron Rodgers. Period.
- Full Stop. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. Just end the nonsense now.
Aaron Rodgers has been released by the Jets and his name has been linked to the Steelers since he began making noises about getting out of Green Bay. The Steelers have, per reports made him an offer. The fact that he still has yet to take it should tell Art Rooney II, Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin all they need to know — they should rescind the offer and end this nonsense now.
If the Steelers don’t see Mason Rudolph as their starter for 2025, and his contract says they don’t, they should resign Russell Wilson.
- No, Russell Wilson doesn’t have a lot left in the tank — Aaron Rodgers has less.
- Yes, age has robbed Russell Wilson of his abilities — age has ransacked Aaron Rodgers.
- Yes, Russ had issues with his coaches — Aaron Rodgers is an unrepentant coach killer.
- No, Russ isn’t likely to get the Steelers to a Super Bowl next year — neither is Aaron Rodgers.
- Yes, Russ may create some locker room friction — Aaron Rodgers does that unhesitatingly.
The Steelers have taken a conservative approach, to say the least, at quarterback this off season. They’ve declined to engage in a bidding war for Justin Fields or Sam Darnold. They’re unwilling (and wisely so) to give up draft capital to bring in a Geno Smith or Derrick Carr.
- And they’re not allowing inertia to pull them back to Russell Wilson by default.
Fair enough.
The Steelers have done their due-dilgence. They’ve refused to throw money at mediocre quarterbacks. It is time to either resign-Wilson, assuming he’s willing, or simply go with Mason Rudolph.
Mason Rudolph & the Steelers: What a Long Strange Trip Its Been
The Steelers of course drafted Mason Rudolph in the 3rd round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Rudolph stood in street clothes throughout 2018, only to be thrust into the starting role 6 quarters into 2019 as Ben Roethlisberger injured his elbow in the home-0pening loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
- And thus began Rudolph’s rollercoaster ride with the Steelers.
Over the next 4 years, Rudolph would appear in 21 games for the Steelers, starting 13 of those and going 8-4-1. Once seen as Ben Roethlisberger’s potential heir-apparent, he spent the summer of 2022 behind Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett as QB No. 3 despite arguably out playing both men.
Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett in 2022 at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review
Mason Rudolph spent the 2023 off season as an afterthought, until signing a veteran minimum deal with the Steelers. There he remained an afterthought, until an ugly 3 game losing streak that included a major injury to Kenny Pickett led Mike Tomlin to start him.
Rudolph responded by quarterbacking the Steelers to 3 straight wins, and had the team with in a touchdown of tying the Buffalo Bills with 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter of the AFC Divisional playoffs.
The Steelers opened the 2024 off season with Mike Tomlin declaring the team wanted to resign him. Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell did report that the Steelers made him an offer, but with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields’ arrivals, Rudolph opted to sign with Tennessee Titans.
With the Titans Rudolph appeared in 8 games, starting 5 of those and going 1-4 in those contests.
- He did, however come off the bench to lead two comeback wins.
- Overall, he posted respectable passing numbers.
Do those numbers suggest that Rudolph is capable a Baker Mayfield like revival? No, they do not. But if the Steelers offensive line investments pay the dividends they expect it to pay, and if Jaylen Warren and a yet to be drafted running back can establish the run, the Steelers could win a lot of games with Mason Rudolph running Arthur Smith’s under center offense.
Barring that, he strikes me as the perfect “bridge quarterback” to the lead the team on the eve of what is said to be a quarterback-rich 2026 NFL Draft class.
Its been a long strange trip indeed, but welcome back to Pittsburgh Mason.
I wholeheartedly concur with this line of thinking. Although, I’m probably more inclined to skip over Russ — simply because Mason does provide the ability to see OVER his o-line while Russ can not and did not in 2024. Other than that, I concur with all of this. Good stuff!
Why did the Steelers let Juatin Fields go?
He could have been developed while they were utilizing Russel Wilson
By all accounts the Steelers made an offer to Fields, but Fields wanted to test the market.
The Jets offer apparently had a little more guaranteed money so he took theirs.
That’s fairly standard MO for the Steelers — they come up with a number, and they stick to it.