When the Pittsburgh Steelers reached out to Mason Rudolph’s agent at the beginning of free agency, the quarterback found it easy to decide to return to the team where his career started. Rudolph, originally a third-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2018, had moved to the Tennessee Titans for the 2024 season. However, when given a chance to come back to Pittsburgh, he readily accepted.
“I just think it’s a special place,” Rudolph commented on Tuesday regarding Pittsburgh. “You know, I’ve got a lot of great friends and teammates here, a lot of comfortability with (head coach) Mike T(omlin) and the staff, and (general manager) Omar (Khan) put together a great roster. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this team and this offense?”
As the Steelers began their third phase of OTA sessions at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Tuesday, Rudolph took snaps as quarterback with the first unit. While he has taken first-team reps with the Steelers before, this time he is currently their most experienced veteran quarterback. The other quarterbacks on the roster are Skylar Thompson and rookie Will Howard.
Rudolph acknowledges that changes can happen quickly in NFL rosters but chooses not to focus on uncertainties beyond his control.
“That’s nothing new to me. There’s been constant noise,” Rudolph said about potential additions of another veteran quarterback by the Steelers. “That is the nature of the NFL. So I am used to that for a long time. Now I’m doing nothing but being the best I can be to help our team get better this spring.”
Throughout his career, Rudolph has appeared in 29 games—21 with Pittsburgh—throwing for 4,615 yards with 28 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions. His stint with Tennessee saw him play eight games during which he threw for 1,530 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Reflecting on his time away from Pittsburgh last year, Rudolph shared insights gained from his experience.
“I think just perspective and experience and a different staff and a different team, and a lot of adversity, but a lot of good lessons learned,” he remarked about his 2024 season.
Returning now gives him an opportunity to build upon those experiences with Pittsburgh once again—a team he led through an 8-4-1 record in spot starts over his career including guiding them into playoffs after winning three consecutive games in late-season starts during 2023.
“We won games down stretch there at important times,” noted Rudolph about that period adding: “And I just think we played complimentary football…you learn that it takes complimentary football…Mike T has created ball-search ball-security culture.”
As they work towards these goals under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system for its second year running now; adapting presents another aspect too which seems promising according To what Rudolph shared:
“He’s very detail-oriented,” describing Smith further adding how much he enjoys working alongside him within such frameworks characterized especially by love for pounding rock play-action alongside strong drop-back pass concepts fitting well into personal game style preferences overall according player himself expressed sentiments thus far indeed!
•Dale Lolley co-hosts “SNR Drive” podcast available via Apple Podcast iHeart Podcast Pittonline@iheartmedia.com
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