Steelers Now
While many are skeptical of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ plan at quarterback, Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig feels good about the current quarterbacks room that features Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Skylar Thompson.
“We got a Big Ten guy, Ohio State guy [Will Howard]. We got Rudolph. He’s always in the gun, in the slinger. We got options. We got options. You know, I like our options right now. I do,” Herbig said on Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast.
The Steelers are still waiting on Aaron Rodgers’ looming decision. However, with Rudolph, Howard and Thompson as the current trio, CBS Sports believes the Steelers have the worst QBs room in the NFL. The ranking was conducted before Derek Carr retired, so the New Orleans’ Saints quarterbacks room of rookie Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener might be worse.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers have the worst quarterback room in the entire NFL after completely turning over at the position in each of the last two years,” Garrett Podell of CBS Sports wrote. “Mason Rudolph, a third-round pick of the Steelers in 2018, returns home after a year away with the Tennessee Titans in 2024. He threw nine touchdowns and nine interceptions across eight played last season, which included five starts.
“Skylar Thompson comes to the Steelers after three seasons as Tua Tagovailoa’s backup with the Miami Dolphins. He has one passing touchdowns and three interceptions in 10 games played, including three starts. The rookie in the room is Will Howard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after helping lead Ohio State to a national championship in his fifth season of college football.”
Podell projects that Will Howard will be the Steelers’ Week 1 starter, unless Rodgers comes to town.
“Head coach Mike Tomlin ends up uninspired by both Rudolph and Thompson, which leads to Howard seizing the job after continuing the growth he showed as a passer as a Buckeye. That is unless Aaron Rodgers joins the team after visiting the team’s facility earlier in the offseason,” Podell wrote.
Rudolph, 29, was selected with the No. 76 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He spent the first six years of his career in Pittsburgh before joining the Tennessee Titans in 2024.
Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth gave Rudolph a ringing endorsement during an interview on the Kaboly + Mack podcast last month.
“As guys on the team, we have all the belief in Mason,” Freiermuth said. “You know he made some big plays when he was here last, winning three straight games to make the playoffs. Whatever happens, happens, but we will see.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin also expressed at the NFL owner’s meetings that he is confident in Rudolph’s abilities if he ends up being the starter.
“We’re optimistic about the room that we’re constructing. Obviously, we’re excited about having Mason Rudolph back,” Tomlin said at the NFL owner’s meetings. “Our knowledge of him not only as a player but as a man....
