Since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had five quarterbacks start in the last three seasons. When the Steelers redesigned their whole quarterback room last summer, they did not bring back three of them.
However, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette raised the prospect of one of the three quarterbacks who left the Steelers last season coming back this week.
“The backup is still up in the air if the Steelers decide to go with [Justin] Fields,” Dulac wrote on January 20. The former quarterback for the New York Giants, Daniel Jones, would be the ideal acquisition.
“Will the Steelers think about getting Mason Rudolph back together?”
Mason Rudolph was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Pundits at the time saw him as Roethlisberger’s possible replacement. Rudolph, however, found it difficult to start in 2019.
Rudolph became an afterthought when the Steelers selected Kenny Pickett and signed Mitch Trubisky shortly after Roethlisberger’s retirement. However, Rudolph ended the 2023 season by leading the Steelers into the playoffs and on a three-game winning run.
Rudolph played for the Tennessee Titans in 2024.
Will Mason Rudolph be the Steelers’ backup quarterback again?
The scenario proposed by Dulac has several moving components. Initially, the Steelers beat writer thought Fields would start as quarterback for Pittsburgh the following season.
According to Dulac, it is probably the case. Russell Wilson, the current starting quarterback, has stated that he would really like to go back to Pittsburgh.
Only one of the two quarterbacks can make a comeback, according to pundits. However, it’s not a given that Fields will rejoin the Steelers in place of Wilson.
Theoretically, the Steelers could bring Rudolph back, regardless of whether Fields or Wilson are selected to start again. However, it is unclear if Rudolph would be open to playing backup in Pittsburgh again.
He was with the Titans in 2024, to be sure. During his playing time, Rudolph recorded 6.7 yards per attempt, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions, which were mediocre numbers. Rudolph’s starting record was 1-4 as well.
Rudolph, however, started 8-4-1 with the Steelers. Last year, he left the team as their starter.
Although a little crazy, Dulac’s suggestion that Rudolph go back to his initial NFL home makes sense. Dulac clarified that it is only feasible if Rudolph agrees to play backup.
Will Kyle Allen be viewed as a potential backup quarterback?
Kyle Allen is the other element in Dulac’s scenario. Last season, the 28-year-old played eight games as the Steelers’ backup.
But Allen emerged as Pittsburgh’s No. 3 quarterback when Wilson and Fields were both healthy.
Allen won’t be considered by the Steelers for the No. 2 spot in 2025, according to Dulac.
Allen hasn’t played enough recently to establish himself in a bigger NFL role. In 2024, he made one throw attempt, although it was just a 19-yard completion.
In 2023, he made no pass attempts.
Allen last started for the Houston Texans in 2022. Allen is 2-12 after starting his career 5-0, although he is 7-12 as an NFL starter.
The Steelers could theoretically rejoin with Rudolph and re-sign Allen. Both would work well together to provide Pittsburgh’s starter excellent depth.
Rudolph is unlikely to return if he isn’t “in the pole position” to be at least the backup, though, given his initial stint with the Steelers.
