Mason Rudolph should start in Steelers' upcoming game vs. Bears, regardless of Aaron Rodgers' injury status
Rudolph was the better quarterback during Sunday's win over the Bengals
By
Bryan DeArdo
•
4 min read
With Aaron Rodgers hurt, Mason Rudolph did what he has often done during his time with the Steelers when given the opportunity to play.
Rudolph and the Steelers' offense had the ball just two times during the second half of Sunday's win over the Bengals. Pittsburgh -- which scored on two of its five possessions in the second half with Rodgers under center -- scored on both drives as the Steelers turned a modest 10-6 halftime lead into a decisive, 34-12 victory.
Rudolph, who had attempted just two passes this season prior to Sunday, led the offense on a 15-play, 61-yard drive to open the second half. The drive, which ended with a 30-yard field goal by Chris Boswell, included three third-down completions from Rudolph.
Pittsburgh had a 20-12 lead (a pick-six by Kyle Dugger late in the third quarter stretched the Steelers' lead to 20-9) by the time its offense got the ball back with 9:41 left. With the game still very much in the balance, Rudolph led the offense on a scoring drive that ultimately put the game on ice.
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The 12-play, 65-yard drive included yet another third-and-long conversion from Rudolph, who then capped off the drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to Kenneth Gainwell.
Touchdown #️⃣2️⃣ for KG 💪 @KENNETHGAINWEL
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 16, 2025
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Rudolph finished the game with 127 yards and a touchdown on 12 of 16 passing. Rodgers, who sustained a left wrist injury late in the first half, threw for 116 yards and a touchdown on 9 of 15 passing.
The Steelers continued to struggle on third down on Sunday with Rodgers; they were just 2 of 7 in the first half against one of the NFL's worse defenses. Conversely, Pittsburgh was 5 of 6 on third down in the second half with Rudolph leading the way.
"He's always delivered when called upon in the past," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said afterward when asked to assess Rudolph's performance. "That's why we value him. His performance was consistent with what he's done in the past for us. Not that we take it for granted. We don't. We appreciate it."
Indeed, Rudolph has typically delivered when called upon. In fact, he has been Pittsburgh's most consistent quarterback of the post Ben Roethlisberger era.
The only quarterback to start a playoff game for Pittsburgh since Roethlisberger's retirement, Rudolph has won each of his last three regular season starts for the Steelers. Each of those starts occurred late in the 2023 season, when Rudolph came off the bench to help lead Pittsburgh to a playoff berth following three consecutive losses.
Despite his success late in the '23 season, Pittsburgh allowed Rudolph to sign with the Titans in free agency. After just one season in Nashville, Rudolph re-signed with Pittsburgh during the the offseason with the understanding that he would serve as Rodgers' backup if the four-time league MVP ultimately decided to sign with the Steelers.
While Rodgers mulled over his future, Rudolph participated in the Steelers' voluntary offseason workouts. Rudolph continuously prepares with a starter's mentality; he sends Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith a weekly list of his preferred plays in that week's game plan.
Rudolph's work in the shadows was once again rewarded on Sunday in a game the Steelers needed to win in order to stay ahead of the surging Ravens in the AFC North standings. It may also lead to Rudolph getting the start for Pittsburgh's upcoming game in Chicago, regardless of the status of Rodgers' injured wrist.
With Rudolph under center, Pittsburgh's offense performed better than it has in weeks. Against the Bengals, Rudolph was decisive in his decision-making, didn't turn the ball over and was clutch on third down. He was also more accurate than Rodgers, who for whatever reason hasn't been consistently on the same page with his receivers in recent weeks.
One of Rudolph's biggest strengths is his ability to play within himself. Unlike Rodgers (who hasn't made the appropriate adjustments to his game despite his advanced age), Rudolph is keenly aware of what he can and can't do. While Rodgers -- even at age 41 -- has superior athletic gifts, Rudolph is doing a better job with the physical skills he does possess.
Overall, Rodgers' body of work this season has been solid. His 18 touchdown passes, for example, is already more than any Steelers quarterback in a single season since Big Ben hung up his cleats after the 2021 season.
But while Rodgers' individual numbers are good, he and the Steelers' offense have struggled mightily over the last few weeks. Rodgers has especially been off; he's routinely been off-target with his throws and has often held onto the ball for too long.
Oddly, the Steelers were in a similar position a year ago. Despite going 4-2 with Justin Fields as his starter, Tomlin turned the offense over to Russell Wilson once Wilson was physically ready to resume his role as QB1. For a long time, that decision appeared to be the right one as Wilson won six of his first seven starts.
Wilson and the Steelers struggled down the stretch, however. Pittsburgh lost its last five games that included a lackluster performance in a first round playoff loss to Baltimore. That led to Tomlin turning over his quarterback room for a second straight offseason.
While the expectation is that Tomlin will continue to give the ball to Rodgers when healthy, it's worth wondering if last year's experience has changed Tomlin's mentality when it comes to dealing with aging star quarterbacks who are showing clear signs of decline.
Rodgers' injury, while unfortunate, gives the Steelers an opportunity to see what Rudolph can do with this offense. It's an opportunity that Tomlin shouldn't pass up.
