Devlin Hodges carries the confidence of a starter, and he's preparing to be the Steelers'
Injuries to, not one, but two quarterbacks have left the Steelers with little options at play-caller. After Mason Rudolph left Week 5's game in the third quarter, heading to the hospital with a concussion, Pittsburgh turned to Duck Hodges.
Hodges, the Samford grad who found himself back in Pittsburgh after the Steelers traded Josh Dobbs to Jacksonville, is now being considered the starter for Week 6. Rudolph's status remains unknown, but Hodges said it was good to see him on the field during the team's practice on Wednesday.
Rudolph will need to pass concussion protocol before he's able to return to game action, leaving Hodges as the practice starter throughout the week. Hodges still isn't certain what his role will be in Los Angeles, but he's preparing for his chance to take the field.
"[I'm] doing the same thing I do every week," Hodges said. "Whether it be preparing, learning anything I can; just be ready when my name is called."
Hodges is stepping into an offense that has lost a number of players to injury. Jaylen Samuels will miss a month of action and James Washington is out multiple weeks with a shoulder injury. Still Hodges is aware of the talent he'll have around him on Sunday.
"It helps, especially in college, and even now; having good playmakers around you," Hodges said. "The guys up front that make my job a lot easier. We're always trying to find the best matchup, whatever it is in a play, and try to find the best one."
Hodges says he'll be more prepared on Sunday if his number is called. Last week, the Steelers signed Taryn Christion to mimic Lamar Jackson. Christion's presence kept Hodges on the sideline for most of practice. This week, he'll be taking first-team reps to prepare.
"Honestly, I got no reps with the actual scout team last week because we brought in a guy to be Lamar Jackson," Hodges said. "Having a chance to prepare with the ones, being in the huddle, it's kind of just confidence. I mean, to me, it's just being comfortable in the huddle with a group of guys who can potentially be in there on Sunday."
Hodges isn't worried about being the third-string quarterback and starting a game. According to him, he has enough confidence to succeed in this league, and that confidence hasn't faltered throughout this strange journey.
"I think it kind of fits who I am. I never once didn't think that I wouldn't be here or couldn't be here," Hodges. "It's crazy, especially being gone Week 1, coming back on the practice squad; some of the guys on the team were like, 'man, I feel like you were gone forever'."
It may have felt like forever, but Hodges' future is what he's concerned with. For the undrafted quarterback, he believes he has what it takes to be in this league for a long time.
"In five years, ten years from now, if I'm still playing in the NFL, I think this whole story will just fit who I am," Hodges said. "It just shows that hard work and confidence in yourself, belief in yourself - you can accomplish your dreams."
