Mason Rudolph is reportedly hoping to parlay his 3-0 record as a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season into a fresh start with a new club in 2024. But it may not be that easy. After all, Rudolph doesn't have the luxury of choosing where he goes and his options will be limited.
Either way, it's an interesting story worth watching Brooke PryorSteelers Insider for ESPN.
“At this point, I think it's kind of up in the air,” Pryor said Wednesday on The Two on OSU.
Steelers president Art Rooney II has already stated that he would like to see Rudolph back in black and gold, but that may be just talk.
“I'm very interested to see what the Steelers do because I think they would like to bring back Mason Rudolph, but I don't know how Mason fits into Arthur Smith's new system.” Rudolph does his best in the pocket, and Smith's system requires a more athletic and mobile quarterback.
Rudolph may also still be feeling the sting of what Mike Tomlin described as an open competition in 2022. Many Steelers beat writers covering this season's training camp saw Rudolph edge out Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky for third place in the standings.
“I'm interested to see if Mason wants a chance to prove himself somewhere else because of the rollercoaster he's been on throughout his career in Pittsburgh when there was basically an open quarterback competition between Pickett and Trubisky, and Rudolph was supposed to be in the mix,” Pryor said. “.
“But as we know, it was kind of, I hate to say, a false rivalry, but it was pretty much known all along that it was going to be between Trubisky, Pickett, and then Rudolph.”
There are a lot of unknowns ahead for the future of Pittsburgh's quarterback. Pickett is currently the only signal-caller on the roster, with offseason training programs just two months away. A lot can happen between now and then, including the NFL's big-ticket free agency event on March 13. Rudolph will experience free agency for the second time in as many years, and the Steelers may also leave. In a different direction.
Although Rudolph did a good job of boosting his stock with three wins to close out the Steelers' 2023 season, he didn't face stiff competition. If he attracts interest from other teams, he will be a depth player, just like he will be in Pittsburgh.
Leaving the comfort of his NFL home for the past four seasons doesn't always mean a better situation. He knows Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh knows him. This alone may be enough to carefully weigh any options but still get back to where everyone knows his name.
