The Mason Rudolph Option
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Mason Rudolph is a solid choice to be the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That is a sentence that will drive a majority of Steelers fans to the brink of insanity. But it’s a true statement, and it is time to stop being in denial of it.
Rudolph is 5-4-1 as a starter. Two of those wins came against a Cincinnati team that went 2-14, one came against a 5-11 Dolphins team and another against the 7-9 Colts.
The only win he has had against a team that finished with a winning record was a 17-12 win over the 9-7 Los Angeles Rams, who missed the playoffs.
He’s most brutal non-win was the tie that came against the Detroit Lions. While the game was played in horrible weather conditions, the Lions still did not have a win up until that point. He completed 14-of-20 of his passes for 129 yards and one touchdown. He was largely unable to get the offense going at any point despite numerous opportunities to win the game for his team.
In 2019 he also lost to the 49ers (13-3), Ravens (14-2) and Browns (6-10). He came in against the Jets (7-9) midway through the second quarter after Delvin Hodges got hurt and was unable to produce a win.
His other loss came against the Browns in the last week of the season in 2020 with the Browns playing for a playoff spot and Pittsburgh resting a number of their starters.
So it is totally possible to argue that Rudolph can’t beat good teams, and he even struggles against mediocre teams.
In games Rudolph has started he averages 208 yards per game. He has thrown 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
He has issues with pocket presence, and his ball lacks the zip one sees from NFL quarterbacks.
So yes, it is rational to question if Rudolph should take over.
But I think there is a glaring fact about all the times Rudolph came in at QB. He had future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger in front of him. Sure, Rudolph took over the Steelers when Roethlisberger had a season-ending injury to his right elbow, but he had a full offseason and preseason of prep work as a backup.
He was handling everything as a second string player, so to throw him into a season already in-progress is tough.
Offseason preparation is one of the most crucial aspects of leading an NFL team, and every one of those moments matter. It is what made Tom Brady one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
No, Rudolph will be nowhere near Brady’s level. He will also be nowhere near Big Ben’s level. But with a full season to plan and prepare, it isn’t insane to think he can become a starting quarterback.
The Steelers have a glaring offensive line issue, and it is an issue that one solution isn’t going to fix. They need to take this offseason to address it. Address a wide receivers room that may see Ray-Ray McCloud as third on the depth chart. Address the inside linebacker situation.
Rudolph will give you, at the very least, a decent season of football. If he isn’t the answer, look for a quarterback next year that will be better than one of the least exciting draft classes in recent memory.
Who knows, Rudolph may just surprise a few people.
Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference.
