Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph is accustomed to life as the primary backup in the Steel City.
A third-round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2018, Rudolph has spent all but one year of his career in Pittsburgh. He re-signed with the team in the 2025 offseason, after a one-year stint in Tennessee.
Rudolph is the second-most experienced quarterback on the roster, and turns 31 this month. Although any shot he might have had at the starting role dried up when Aaron Rodgers re-signed with the team in May, he is set to enter a season where he could get some in-game reps.
Rudolph has been one of the steadiest long-term backups in the league this decade, and has been a soluble quarterback when called upon. In 2023, he led the Steelers to three straight wins to end the regular season, completing 74.6% of his throws while racking up three touchdown passes and zero interceptions.
“This is a veteran team, we’re trying to win now,” Rudolph said. “These guys have been around a long time, and we want to make a playoff push. And I know I can contribute with that veteran culture.”
The Steelers’ quarterback room will be fascinating this season. Rodgers is 42, turning 43 in December. Third-round rookie Drew Allar and 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard seem to be in competition for the QB3 spot, but the investment in Allar suggests he might figure significantly into the team’s future plans.
Rudolph sits at the crossroads of all this. He likely is not in talks to be the full-time starter at any point in the future. But given Rodgers’ age and relatively recent injury history with the New York Jets, Rudolph needs to be ready to go at all times.
Last season, Rudolph ranked 60th out of 77 eligible quarterbacks with a Pro Football Focus passing grade of 50.5. This grade put him just below Bengals quarterback Jake Browning and just above the (briefly unretired) Philip Rivers.
While it seems overwhelmingly likely that Rudolph will be the QB2 to start the season, that is not necessarily guaranteed; Allar and Howard are both present, and the depth chart could change during training camp.
Acquired: The Steelers signed Rudolph as a free agent during the 2025 offseason, kicking off his second stint in the Steel City.
Last Year: Rudolph made five game appearances. He came in briefly against Seattle, Cleveland and Buffalo, got significant action against Cincinnati and started against Chicago. He went 12-of-16 for 127 yards and a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. Rudolph kept it close in a narrow road loss to the Bears, going 24-of-31 for 171 yards, a touchdown, and a pick.
Pro Career: Rudolph spent 2018-23 with the Steelers, 2024 with the Tennessee Titans, and returned to Pittsburgh in 2025. He has thrown for 4,925 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 22 picks in his career. Rudolph has a...
