Re-signing Mason Rudolph Makes Sense

In a crazy week in the NFL offseason and with free agency well underway, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were expected to resign Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, have not yet done so. Fields decided to sign a 2-year, $40 million contract with the New York Jets. Wilson is still a free agent at this point. Sam Darnold, Gardner Minshew, and Daniel Jones have all found new homes. Negotiations with Aaron Rodgers are continuing, but he still has not signed. In the midst of all of this, Mason Rudolph signed a 2-year, $8 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He and Skylar Thompson are currently the only two quarterbacks the Steelers have under contract.

Rudolph got a lot of heat from fans while in Pittsburgh, as many fans were frustrated with his play and felt that he wasn’t talented. They just plain did not want him in black and gold. With that being said, one can make the argument that Rudolph provided the best quarterback play for the Steelers as a starter since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. Russell Wilson’s first few games as a starter the last 5 games of 2024 were not pretty from Russ and company.

While this may be a hot debate within the fanbase, I actually like the Mason Rudolph signing. I think it makes so much sense for 2025. Why? Rudolph came cheap. Is he the long-term answer at quarterback? Never say never, but the likely answer is no. I don’t believe any of the other quarterback free agent options were the long-term answer, either. While Aaron Rodgers is a future hall of famer, he is an aging veteran that tends to drag along with drama and baggage. His price tag is millions and millions more than that of Rudolph. Russell Wilson also has a significantly higher price tag. Thinking about it this way, why would a team want to pay a large chunk of change to a quarterback they know isn’t the answer? By signing Rudolph, should negotiations with Rodgers fall through, the Steelers have a quarterback for 2025 with a minimal cap hit. They can use the extra funds they have to extend star players such as TJ Watt and to bring other players in to build the roster.

Why besides price do I like this signing? While Rudolph is likely not the long-term answer in Pittsburgh, I believe he is a competent starter in the NFL. He has the experience and the arm talent to manage games for a team and at least make them relevant. He is also familiar with the Steelers, and, likewise, the Steelers are familiar with him. This could help significantly in terms of locker room leadership and game planning. While Mason Rudolph and Arthur Smith have yet not worked together, when I consider the two of them, I think about Ryan Tannehill during his time in Tennessee. It could be argued that Tannehill was more athletic in his prime than Rudolph, and he certainly had a higher draft pedigree. However, I personally consider them similar in terms of them both being competent, but not elite, starters in the National Football League. When Arthur Smith worked with Ryan Tannehill, they found a lot of success in Nashville, including a deep playoff run to the AFC championship. Smith’s run-first offense, a stud of a wide receiver in AJ Brown, and a game manager of a quarterback in Tannehill proved to be a successful formula. Could there be a similar story in Pittsburgh with Rudolph, DK Metcalf, and a not yet complete running back room? Perhaps.

Reports state that the Steelers still have a strong interest and are pursuing Aaron Rodgers. Say Rodgers, or someone else, does come to Pittsburgh, Rudolph will make a capable backup as well for the reasons discussed above. Regardless of who else is brought into the Steelers quarterback room, bringing Mason Rudolph back to Pittsburgh for 2025 makes a whole lot of sense.