The Pittsburgh Steelers are sticking with third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph for the team’s Week 18 showdown with the Baltimore Ravens despite Week 1 starter Kenny Pickett being fully healthy to return from an ankle injury.
While this decision appears to be a sign that the team might be ready to move on from Pickett, NFL Network Ian Rapoport said Saturday that keeping Rudolph under center is less about the future of Pickett and more about riding the hot hand at quarterback.
“The organization does still believe in Kenny Pickett and in no way wants to move on from him after the season,” Rapoport said. “Still a ton confidence that he can be a franchise starter. It’s really just a matter of playing right now the quarterback that gives them the best chance.”
From @NFLGameDay Kickoff: This offseason, Mason Rudolph shadowed congressmen and senators and spent time at architectural firms and commercial real estate firms — planning for life after football. Now, he’s a starting QB with a chance to send the #Steelers to the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/BK66qMG6kV
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 6, 2024
Rudolph is 2-0 since he took over as the full-time starter over Mitchell Trubisky in Week 16 and he put the Steelers in a position to possibly sneak into the playoffs as a wildcard team.
He’s orchestrated an offense, too, that scored at least 30 points in consecutive weeks.
If Rudolph delivers another good performance and sends Pittsburgh to the postseason, though, that’ll open up another big question about who would start in the wildcard and, potentially, in 2024.
Rudolph will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason while Pickett will still have two years left on his rookie contract.
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