Ex-Steelers QB Mason Rudolph to Start for Titans against Bills
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph will start for Tennessee on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in place of Will Levis, according to Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. Tennessee’s starting QB Will Levis has been limited at practice due to a shoulder injury.
This will be Rudolph’s first start as a Titan. In relief, Rudolph led Tennessee to a 31-12 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football in Week 4.
Rudolph entered in the first quarter after Levis was injured. Levis suffered a shoulder injury and was ruled as questionable to return, but did not. Rudolph completed 9 of 17 passes for 85 yards, with his longest completion a 27-yarder to Tyler Boyd.
Rudolph signed a one-year, $2.87 million contract with the Titans this offseason. He beat out former third-round pick Malik Willis for the No. 2 spot in training camp and the preseason. With Levis dealing with a lingering shoulder injury and the team struggling at 1-4, Rudolph could make a case to be the starter if he lights it up.
RELATED: Mason Rudolph Leads Tennessee Titans to Upset Victory
Rudolph, 28, was drafted in the third round by the Steelers out of Oklahoma State in 2018. He spent six seasons in Pittsburgh, playing in 21 games and making 13 starts. In six seasons with Pittsburgh, Rudolph completed 63.5% of his passes for 3,085 yards, 19 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 86.9.
His most extensive playing time came in 2019, when he was the backup to Ben Roethlisberger and was thrust into a starting role when Roethlisberger was lost for the season to an elbow injury in the first half of Week 2.
Rudolph started eight games and completed 176 of 283 passes (62.2%) for 1,765 yards (6.2 yards per attempt) and an 82.0 passer rating. Rudolph dealt with two injuries of his own that forced him from action, and he was benched at one point during the season for former fourth-stringer Devlin “Duck” Hodges.
Rudolph’s career was at a crossroad in 2023. He even admitted that he thought about his life’s work, complementing retirement and pursuing a career in commercial real estate. All it took was one chance for Rudolph to resurrect his career. After replacing Mitch Trubisky in Week 16, he completed 55 of 75 (74.3%) for 719 yards (10.5 yards per attempt) and a 118.0 quarterback rating. He led the Steelers to three straight victories and a playoff spot, before losing in the Wild Card round to the Buffalo Bills.
Despite Rudolph’s strong play down the stretch last season, there was no official contract offer on the table for Rudolph from the Steelers. Rudolph decided minutes after Russell Wilson signed he wasn’t coming back.
RELATED: Steelers Never Made Contract Offer to Mason Rudolph
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