Much discussion has been had about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback room this offseason.
In 2024, the team didn’t get great results from Russell or Justin Fields, and both were allowed to leave in free agency. However, with the 2025 season inching closer and closer, the team’s only notable veteran addition this offseason has been Mason Rudolph.
Rudolph spent the first four seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, and started 13 games for the team, before landing with the Tennessee Titans last offseason.
The Titans had a rough year in 2024, to say the least. The team won just three games and earned the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft as a result. Will Levis struggled at quarterback, and Rudolph was called upon to start five games for the team.
The veteran didn’t deliver the best results, but the team around him wasn’t great either. Rudolph ended with 1,530 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
After that miserable season, Rudolph is happy to be back in Pittsburgh. The veteran passer appeared on the Kaboly + Mack Show on Monday and explained that his time in Tennessee made him appreciate Pittsburgh more.
“I think it was just good, for like, perspective,” Rudolph said of his time with the Titans. “I think it makes me appreciate Pittsburgh and the way they do things here. And the way that the front office operates, and the ownership, just top down. Getting an outside, fresh perspective makes you appreciate what we have in Pittsburgh here so much more.”
Clearly, Rudolph probably doesn’t have many great memories from his time in Nashville. The quarterback only won one of his five starts, and didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet. Rudolph has never been a special passer, but he’s performed better in the past when surrounded with an adequate supporting cast.
It’s hard to not read into those comments as a shot at the Titans. The team hasn’t exactly been stable of late, with the team getting another new general manager this offseason and cycling through several quarterbacks over the last decade.
However, the Titans were able to land Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick, so the team is hoping for some long-term stability finally. Meanwhile, Rudolph will likely land a backup spot again in Pittsburgh, as the team continues to be linked to Aaron Rodgers.
If the Steelers don’t land Rodgers, then Rudolph could be relied upon as the starter in 2025, at least initially. The Steelers did use a sixth-round pick on Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, but the rookie will likely need time to develop.
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