PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh has had an amazing lineage of professional quarterbacks. The legendary Johnny Unitas was once Steelers property. Hall of Famer Len Dawson played here. Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger became the franchise's winningest quarterbacks. Bobby Layne, Bubby Brister and Kordell Stewart were among football's colorful characters. There were too many forgettable quarterbacks to mention.
There has been only one Mason Rudolph.
I have suggested they make a country and western song about Rudolph's time here. His story is filled with drama and heartbreak. I even would say it has been something of a tragedy from a football standpoint.
Now, there will be an additional chapter.
Rudolph is coming back for a sixth season with the Steelers and will back up Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky. The news had the city buzzing on Monday and Tuesday. Only in Pittsburgh does the third-string quarterback get that kind of attention.
Clearly, that had a lot to do with Rudolph's history. It didn't seem possible he would return after last season. He was well compensated with a $5.08 million salary but didn't play in the one game in which he dressed. He appeared determined to leave as a free agent.
Then, reality hit.
No one wanted Rudolph as a backup, so he swallowed his pride and returned to the Steelers. It made sense for him and the team, which likes having a little insurance in its quarterback room. Remember how third-stringer Duck Hodges started six games in 2019? The Steelers know Rudolph. He knows the players. He knows Matt Canada. He knows the system.
A third-string job beats no job, right?
Forget that country song.
The journey Rudolph has taken to this point would make for a best-selling novel.
Start with the day Rudolph was taken by the Steelers in the third round of the 2018 draft. Kevin Colbert said the team had a first-round grade on him. Roethlisberger wasn't impressed. He asked publicly, paraphrasing: "Why not draft someone to help me win now instead of worrying about my replacement?" He and Rudolph never had much of a relationship.
Move on to the 2019 season when Rudolph took over for the injured Roethlisberger. He started three games, including a 27-3 win against Cincinnati when he completed 24 of 28 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns with a 124.6 passer rating. But in his start against Baltimore at Heinz Field, he took a brutal shot to the head from Ravens safety Earl Thomas and was knocked unconscious. The sight of him dazed and wobbling off the field, wearing only the shell of his helmet after his face mask was cut off, is unforgettable. So was Mike Tomlin's reaction when asked why there was no cart for Rudolph to take to the locker room: "Ask somebody that is in charge of that. I don't drive carts and things of that nature."
Hodges started against the Los Angeles Chargers the next week, a 24-17 win. Tomlin then went back to Rudolph, who led wins against Miami, Indianapolis and Carolina. Things were great for Rudolph until a Thursday night game in Cleveland on Nov. 14.
The Myles Garrett game.
It was bad enough Rudolph threw four interceptions in a 21-7 loss. Garrett ripped off Rudolph's helmet late in the game and clubbed him over the head with it. After the game, Garrett accused Rudolph of using a racial slur. It didn't matter that Tomlin defended Rudolph and said the slur didn't happen. Damage to Rudolph was done.
To paraphrase again, this time Tomlin: "We'll find out a lot about Mason in this next game."
That start in Cincinnati didn't go well for Rudolph. He was benched in the third quarter for Hodges, who threw a 79-yard touchdown pass to James Washington in a 16-10 comeback win. Hodges started the next four games.
That's undrafted free agent Duck Hodges instead of Mason Rudolph with his first-round grade.
Still, Tomlin went back to Rudolph one more time in the second quarter against the New York Jets after Hodges struggled. Rudolph threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson — yes, Johnson actually scored — and appeared ready to lead the team to a win when he stepped on center B.J. Finney's foot, stumbled and was crunched by cornerback Maurice Canady. Rudolph was forced to leave the game with what he thought was a dislocated shoulder. The injury turned out to be much more serious: a posterior sternoclavicular dislocation, which can threaten several vital structures, including the trachea and aorta. It could have been life-threatening. Rudolph underwent surgery when the Steelers returned home from their 16-10 loss and spent three days in the trauma unit.
The 2020 and 2021 seasons were much less eventful for Rudolph but hardly good. His only start came in a 16-16 tie with winless Detroit in 2021. He is best remembered in that game for bouncing what should have been an easy touchdown pass to Ray-Ray McCloud.
If being benched for Hodges didn't tell you everything about what the Steelers really thought about Rudolph, what happened before last season did. Despite Tomlin and Colbert saying they were "comfortable" with Rudolph, the team signed Trubisky as a free agent and took Pickett in the first round of the 2022 draft. Rudolph might not have liked suddenly being the team's third-stringer and a forgotten man, but he couldn't possibly have been surprised.
Now, the Rudolph epic with the Steelers continues.
I don't know about you.
I can't wait to see where it goes.
