Mason Rudolph's Time with Steelers Might Be Ending

Mason Rudolph might find himself out of a job with the Pittsburgh Steelers soon.

Nov 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) throws a pass during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

There are quite a few balls in the air for the Pittsburgh Steelers when it comes to their quarterback situation, which spells bad news for Mason Rudolph.

Though Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers have yet to come to terms on a deal, and it's unknown when or if that'll eventually happen, the overwhelming expectation remains that he'll be back in the fold for the 2026 season.

Pittsburgh is also primed to take a quarterback on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, perhaps as early as the second round at No. 53 overall.

With Will Howard also seemingly becoming the apple of the Steelers' coaching staff's eye, Rudolph is in real danger of losing his roster spot later in the offseason.

Looking at the Steelers' QB Depth Chart

Should Rodgers return for a second campaign with Pittsburgh, he'd be the unquestioned starter yet again at 42-years-old.

After him, though, there are at least some questions about how the team's depth chart will ultimately shake out.

As previously mentioned, Howard has drawn a ton of public praise from the likes of head coach Mike McCarthy and even offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio, and he split first-team reps at voluntary minicamp with Rudolph without Rodgers being around.

A rookie is certain to join that group too, whether it's a higher-floor and lower-upside option like Miami's Carson Beck or a higher-upside, lower-floor prospect who is a complete project like Arkansas' Taylen Green or North Dakota State's Cole Payton.

If everything were to transpire as expected, Rudolph would become the odd man out rather quickly, and his odds of staying with the Steelers would become incredibly slim.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Is There Any World Where Rudolph Sticks Around?

Realistically, Rudolph will likely be looking for a new team by the time the preseason is done.

Unless Rodgers retires and doesn't re-sign with Pittsburgh, which doesn't seem like it's in the cards, there's not room for four quarterbacks on the team's 53-man roster.

The Steelers are not going to pull the plug on the Howard experiment in his first year under the new coaching staff, and the same goes for any rookie they take on Day 2 or even early Day 3.

A sixth- or seventh-round signal caller might not be as big of a lock to make Pittsburgh's roster, especially if it picks one that's viewed as something closer to a finished product and long-term backup rather than a project, but Rudolph might not even have the leg-up in that situation either.

An injury that lands one of the other quarterbacks on the reserve/injured list to open the regular season, much like the one Howard suffered in training camp last summer, is the only other scenario where Rudolph might stick around with the Steelers heading into Week 1.

He's still a capable enough backup, but he'd be of more importance elsewhere in the league. It also helps Pittsburgh that it would save $3 million by cutting or even trading him, per Over the Cap.

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