Mike Tomlin praised Mason Rudolph after the backup quarterback’s performance for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a crucial 34-12 win against the Cincinnati Bengals. Aaron Rodgers suffered an injury in the second quarter that prevented him from continuing in the game, but Rudolph rose to the occasion.
“Mason has proven in the past what he showed today. That’s why we value him as a member of this collective and we’re appreciative of his play. He’s always delivered when called upon in the past. His performance was consistent with what he’s done in the past for us, and not that we take it for granted. We don’t. We appreciate it.”
Several years ago, Rudolph was seen as a potential successor to Ben Roethlisberger when he was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. However, the reality is that Tomlin never gave him a real chance to be the next franchise quarterback.
How serious is Aaron Rodgers’ injury?
Mike Tomlin did not disclose how serious Aaron Rodgers’ left wrist injury is, and the final diagnosis will not be known until Monday. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ next game is on the road against the Chicago Bears.
Who is Steelers backup quarterback?
Mason Rudolph is the Steelers’ backup quarterback. If Rodgers is not ready to return, Tomlin will give him another opportunity to start at Soldier Field. This would move rookie Will Howard up to QB2 on the depth chart.
Obviously, the big question is whether Rodgers’ injury is season-ending, which could mean a permanent retirement for the veteran. In that hypothetical scenario, it would be Rudolph’s time to take over.