Steelers Legend Calls for Team to Cut Mason Rudolph

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the midst of one of their many quarterback crises since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger following the 2021 season.

One of their possible options for the coming season is a player who has had multiple stints with the Steelers, occupying a backup role each time.

Mason Rudolph, the University of North Carolina product, is currently on his second stint with the team following a short one year stint with the Tennessee Titans during the 2024 season. Now, Steelers legend James Harrison had strong words for the quarterback on his Deebo and Joe podcast, hoping he's not the starter for the coming season.

“I’d rather trade for one of these other cats and have a competition before I go and just let him sit there comfortably,” Harrison said. “Look, what he did when he came in, threw the pick immediately, ‘Oh, they ain’t throwing no picks. Let me show y’all how to do this.”

Harrison puts it pretty bluntly, but he believes that the Steelers should strive for better when it comes to their quarterback position. With players like Kyler Murray entering the market and a possible reunion with Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers should not strive to settle for Rudolph.

The sentiment issued by Harrison is mostly in the right place, but the nonchalance used by him could come off as disrepectful to Rudolph and his contributions to the team.

It is tough to say they can do much better in a year where not only the free agent quarterback class is weak, but the 2026 NFL Draft class looks to be one of the weakest in the modern era.

Rudolph's Roster Spot At Risk?

Rudolph signed a two-year deal in 2025, putting him under contract for the 2026 season at a $4.6 million cap hit. With that in mind, the Steelers should be fine going with him as their backup, but as Harrison indicated, the team could look for a stronger starter.

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

It would be unwise for the Steelers to move off of Rudolph. Despite relatively steady backup play, his play has not been stellar enough to land any sort of capital in a trade, so the team should keep him around.

The Steelers are in the midst of a huge transitional period, so any sort of move that would lead to Rudolph getting shuffled around would likely only harm the Steelers as it threatens the little remaining stability they have remaining at this time.

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