I’ve been a Mason Rudolph supporter since the beginning. Watching him at Oklahoma State, I was a fan. Entering the draft, I made it clear the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to draft Rudolph. When they did, I rejoiced. I urged Steelers fans to give Rudolph a chance last season, and initially, they did. When he was winning, there were still dissenters questioning his ability as a QB1. Through the course of the season, that dissent grew into the consensus that Mason Rudolph is not the answer. However, I’m still behind him.
Yes, we saw a lot of evidence last year to question his ability to be the future in Pittsburgh. However, the hysteria that he doesn’t even deserve to be the backup is insane.
Pittsburgh Steelers Fans Need to Give Mason Rudolph a Chance
Let’s start at the beginning. Pittsburgh was rumored to have had a first-round grade on Rudolph coming out of college. However, many other teams saw Rudolph as a third-round choice, which typically means he would need time to progress. With last year being Rudolph’s second season, many would argue he shouldn’t have even been on the field. However, a Ben Roethlisberger injury led to Rudolph being thrust into the spotlight.
In roughly three games of action, Rudolph threw five touchdowns and three interceptions to start the season. Not incredible, but good enough to keep the team in games against the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Ravens. While some were quick to demand more, many realized he was young and showing potential.
Then, a hit from Earl Thomas that has no place in the game knocked Rudolph unconscious. On the third down play, Rudolph showed fantastic pocket awareness and scrambled before finding a receiver for a first down. Even worse than simply being knocked out, the cart broke down, leaving Rudolph to walk off the field after the hit. Rudolph had Pittsburgh in a position to beat the eventual AFC North champions before exiting.
When he came back to action, Rudolph threw four touchdowns and two interceptions in three wins. Still, it seemed as if the progression Rudolph was starting to show had been eliminated by the Thomas hit. Then Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns happened. On top of having the first bad start of his career, Rudolph was bashed over the head with his own helmet. To top it all off, fans were calling for his job.
After another slow start in Cincinnati, Rudolph was benched. Aside from the Cleveland start, Rudolph had thrown nine touchdowns and five interceptions. This is all despite the Earl Thomas cheap shot and the helmet incident. Still, six bad quarters were all it took to go from developing backup to a failed project in the eyes of many.
Rudolph would not see the field until Week 16. After one of the most unfortunate first seasons as a starter in NFL history, Rudolph still rose up to show growth. He was 14/20 for 129 yards and a touchdown, before suffering another injury. This injury, however, required surgery, ending Rudolph’s 2019 campaign.
This off-season, many called for Pittsburgh to sign a high profile backup for a returning Roethlisberger. Despite showing growth and the heart of a seasoned veteran, most of the fan base has given up on Rudolph. While I’m still not convinced Rudolph is the future, his resume shows he is already a more than serviceable backup. If he keeps progressing and stays healthy, he still has a chance to prove wrong those who were quick to write him off.
