Steelers TE Had Three-Word Message for Team’s Feelings on QB Mason Rudolph

Rudolph is the sole member of Pittsburgh's QB room at the minute.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph on Jan 6, 2024.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph on Jan 6, 2024. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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It's April 2025 and the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback sweepstakes are still ongoing. At the moment, the team is waiting on a commitment from veteran Aaron Rodgers, whom they've been courting for about a month, but they have since signed former backup Mason Rudolph presumably to start should Rodgers fall through. They'll need more depth than that, so they are also meeting with draft prospect Shedeur Sanders, whose stock may have fallen enough that Pittsburgh could snag him with the 21st pick.

Considering the gravity of the team's QB problem, they need to know ASAP whether Rodgers will be in black and gold next season. If not, and if they do not draft Sanders, head coach Mike Tomlin has expressed confidence in Rudolph as a QB1 option, even though he never wore that hat as intended during his previous four seasons with Pittsburgh.

In further good news, though, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has also praised Rudolph's abilities and talent as a starter, which he endorsed with just three simple words: "all the belief."

Speaking on an episode of the Kaboly and Mack podcast, hosted by Mike Kaboly and Chris Mack, Freiermuth said, “As guys on the team, we have all the belief in Mason."

"You know he made some big plays when he was here last, winning three straight games to make it to the playoffs," the TE continued. "Whatever happens, happens, but we will see."

Rudolph threw for a total of 3,085 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions across 21 games in his four seasons with Pittsburgh. In 2024, he played eight games for the Tennesse Titans, when he racked up a total of 1,530 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He is seen more as a journeyman but given his knowledge of the franchise, it's fair to assume he could be a good enough bandaid for the time being.


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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.