Now behind Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph may be done with Steelers

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told Mark Kaboly of The Athletic that he plans to give rookie first-round quarterback Kenny Pickett "more varsity action." Meanwhile, fourth-year quarterback Mason Rudolph, a subject of trade rumors, has been relegated to the third team. The former third-round pick's career in the Black and Gold may soon be over.

“Obviously I would have liked to have had some more first-team reps,” Rudolph recently told Jeff Hathhorn of 93.7 The Fan. “You guys have seen how practices have gone. I think I’ve made the most of the reps I’ve gotten.”

He has. The problem is, Rudolph has never made the most of his opportunities in the regular season. 

In 2019, the only season Rudolph has received significant playing time as a Steeler, he started eight games games while Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined with an injury. He went 5-3 but was buoyed by a defense that forced 23 turnovers in the games he started. 

Rudolph finished the season with 13 touchdown passes, nine interceptions, four fumbles, a 62.2 percent completion percentage and an 82 passer rating. That rating was worse than the Bears' Mitch Trubisky and the Jets' Sam Darnold. (Trubisky is the presumptive Steelers starter this season.) 

Worst of all, Rudolph was replaced by Devlin Hodges, a champion duck caller from Samford University who's now out of the league.

In the only game he started in 2020, Rudolph threw for 319 yards but lost to the Browns, 24-22. For the season, he completed 25 of 43 passes for 324 yards. In his only 2021 start, a tie in the rain at home against the winless Lions, Rudolph completed 30 of 50 passes for 242 yards.

In 2018, former Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said the team had a first-round grade on Rudolph. But clearly, he hasn't fulfilled that promise.

When Rudolph takes the field Saturday at Jacksonville, it could be his last game as a Steeler.