Mason Rudolph is staying with the Pittsburgh Steelers after all.
Pittsburgh signed the longtime backup quarterback to a one-year deal on Wednesday, a somewhat unlikely return after Rudolph was essentially passed over twice for the chance to become the starter following Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement after the 2021 season.
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Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers calls a play in the first half during the 2021 NFL preseason Hall of Fame Game against the Dallas Cowboys at Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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The Steelers selected Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 draft and he went 5-4-1 while making intermittent starts between the 2019 and 2021 seasons, throwing for 2,366 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to make a pass play against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter at Heinz Field. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
While head coach Mike Tomlin and then-general manager Kevin Colbert both said they felt Rudolph could be a full-time starter in the NFL after Roethlisberger retired, the club signed Mitch Trubisky to a two-year deal in the spring of 2022, then drafted Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 draft.
Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to pass the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Rudolph spent the majority of last season as the third-string quarterback and was inactive on gamedays.
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He entered the free-agent market in March but with organized team activities beginning later this month and seemingly little opportunity elsewhere in the offing, decided to come back to Pittsburgh as a security blanket of sorts behind Pickett and Trubisky.
