Getty Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mason Rudolph is getting interest from several teams around the NFL
It looks like Mason Rudolph’s run with the Pittsburgh Steelers will be coming to an end after six seasons.
For a little while, it seemed like the Steelers could bring him back after he played some of the best football of his career at the end of the 2023 season.
Now that they have Russell Wilson on the roster, there unfortunately isn’t a spot for Rudolph in the organization anymore.
However, it seems his efforts in the NFL’s “year of the backup QB” weren’t entirely in vain.
Rudolph now gets to test free agency in a much better position than he was in a year ago thanks to the way he finished the 2023 season.
According to the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Rudolph has several teams interested in signing him to be their backup QB.
Strong Finish With the Steelers
Rudolph wasn’t expected to see the field much in 2023 after entering the season as the Steelers’ third-string QB.
For most of the season, it stayed that way. Then Kenny Pickett suffered an injury that forced Mitch Trubisky into a starting role.
His poor play as the starter eventually got Rudolph a chance with three games left in the regular season.
Rudolph made those games count.
In his first game as the starter, Rudolph threw for 290 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Steelers crushed the Cincinnati Bengals.
He was impressive again the next week as he completed 18 of his 24 pass attempts for 274 yards on the way to another Steelers win.
In Week 18, Rudolph had a chance to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive in a game against the Ravens.
Baltimore was resting much of their lineup, but the weather conditions for the gqame were expected to make things difficult for Rudolph.
He ended up setting a Steelers record by completing 90% of his 20 pas attempts as he led Pittsburgh to a third consecutive win.
He came up short in the team’s playoff matchup against the Bills, but the final three weeks of the regular season were enough to make him an appealing backup option in the free agent market.
Teams Who Could Be Interested in Rudolph
There has already been quite a bit of movement in the quarterback market this offseason.
The Steelers signed Wilson. Mac Jones got traded. Kirk Cousins signed for a bunch of money. Gardner Minshew got himself a shot at a starting job. Sam Darnold is going to be a starting QB again.
Still, there are opportunities out there.
The New England Patriots could be interested after trading Jones. They’re expected to draft a QB, but might not want Bailey Zappe to be their only other option at the position.
Maybe he heads to Denver after the Steelers landed Wilson. The Broncos don’t have a QB right now and probably won’t find one that can start immediately in the draft.
The Giants could be interested after losing Tyrod Taylor to the team they share a stadium with. Daniel Jones is coming off of an ACL tear and wasn’t playing well in 2023 before his injury. They might want to invest in an insurance plan at the position.
Wherever it is that he lands, it appears Rudolph set himself up nicely with his finish to the 2023 season.