The return of Aaron Rodgers ended the drama the Pittsburgh Steelers had with QB1. But the Steelers determining roles for quarterbacks Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar is just beginning.
Rudolph is the savvy veteran of that group. That doesn’t guarantee him anything, though, with the Steelers potentially interested in keeping both of their quarterback projects.
Still, it could give him an edge. At offseason workouts Wednesday, Rudolph addressed how he is approaching Pittsburgh’s competition behind center.
“I think you just draw on your experience from all the different situations and combinations that I’ve been through, through my career,” said Rudolph. “But I’ve won games here. I know I’m capable of winning games when my number’s been called upon. That’s what I’ve done.
“Each year is a new journey. You just look forward to pushing forward with the guys in this group and learning new names. But my outlook and approach has not changed. I’m gonna take every rep and make the most of it.”
Mason Rudolph Voices His Value to Steelers
Rudolph, Howard and even Allar (based on one crazy take) are cut candidates this summer. With that in mind, Rudolph provided an intriguing answer to how he plans to attack the team’s quarterback competition.
In all likelihood, the veteran didn’t have an alternative motivation with his response. He was just providing an honest answer.
Even still, Rudolph reminding the media he has experience is notable with Howard and Allar possessing zero NFL experience.
Rudolph is 9-9-1 in 19 career NFL starts. He’s appeared in 34 games over eight years in the NFL.
With the Steelers, Rudolph owns an 8-5-1 record. Over 26 games, he has thrown 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while averaging 6.7 yards per pass.
Steelers Have Decision to Make at Quarterback
The Steelers have completely revamped their quarterback room over the last 15 months. Originally, Rodgers was expected to only play in 2025, but even with a head coaching change, the veteran has returned for one more season.
That has left the Steelers a crowded quarterback room with four quarterbacks. Typically, NFL teams keep three on the active roster.
If Rudolph is the odd-man out, the Steelers could try to try the veteran. Should they not be able to, though, Rudolph could be a cut candidate.
Howard is likely the other trade or cut option. The Steelers drafted Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
This spring, the Steelers added Allar in the third round.
Both quarterbacks have upside but are raw with no experience. Rudolph doesn’t really have upside anymore. But he’s a pretty dependable backup with significant experience.
With pros and cons for keeping both Rudolph and Howard, having four quarterbacks on the roster could be an option. That will depend, though, on how the rest of the Steelers roster shakes out over the rest of the summer.
The Steelers will conclude their first week of offseason workouts Thursday. The team will have another round of offseason workouts after Memorial Day weekend.
Mandatory minicamp for the Steelers will be June 2-4.
Mason Rudolph Speaks out on Steelers Offseason QB Competition