Steelers Now
Quarterback Mason Rudolph shares what the Pittsburgh Steelers told him before signing with them this offseason.
Quarterback Mason Rudolph currently sits atop the Pittsburgh Steelers depth chart, but he revealed he was never guaranteed to be the starter when he signed with the team back in March.
“I think they know what I can do, what we were able to do there towards the end of 2023. They’re confident in me. They know I can play well when asked of me, when my number’s called,” Rudolph said on the “Kaboly and Mack” podcast. “I assumed they were going to sign people and add to the roster. They always go to training camp with four quarterbacks. So I knew that going in.”
What did the #Steelers tell Mason Rudolph about the QB situation when he signed this offseason?@MarkKaboly @THEChrisMack
🎥 https://t.co/HOJ825hOmO pic.twitter.com/l5x6wSFtRR
— Kaboly+Mack (@KabolyAndMack) May 19, 2025
When Rudolph reunited with the Steelers, the only other quarterback on the roster was Skylar Thompson. Pittsburgh has since added Ohio State’s Will Howard with its sixth-round pick (No. 185) in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the team is planning to develop him.
That has pathed the way for Rudolph to be the Steelers starter — for now. As Rudolph mentioned, Pittsburgh will still add a fourth quarterback to its roster and many believe that will be Aaron Rodgers.
If that’s the case, Rudolph will return to the backup role he has played in for most of his NFL career. But it seems he would be just fine with that after Rodgers made an early impact on his career.
“I’ve met Aaron after games only, over the years,” Rudolph said. “I remember my rookie year, we played a preseason game there in Lambeau and kind of had a rough, early outing, and it was so cool I thought for him to come over and he said, ‘Hello,’ and kind of offered some words of encouragement. It motivated me to keep working hard, which doesn’t happen a lot.”
Only time will tell whether Rudolph will be the Steelers’ starter or backup, but he has proven his ability to step up when needed.
In 2023, he started the final three games of the regular season after Kenny Pickett was lost to a high-ankle sprain and Mitchell Trubisky struggled in his limited action.
Rudolph responded with the best play of his career, completing 55 of 75 passes (74.3%) for 719 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions while leading Pittsburgh to three straight victories and a playoff spot.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Mason Rudolph Reveals What Steelers Told Him About QB Situation Before Signing
