All 90 is a Pittsburgh Steelers Now series profiling each of the 90 members of the Steelers 2021 offseason roster.
2 • Mason Rudolph, fourth-year quarterback
6-foot-5, 235 pounds
Acquired: Drafted by the Steelers with the No. 76 overall pick in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Last season: Rudolph played sparingly through the first 15 games of the season as Ben Roethlisberger’s primary backup before getting an opportunity while the Steelers rested starters in Week 17 at Cleveland.
Rudolph finished that game with 315 yards on 22 of 39 passing with two touchdowns and one interception, while nearly leading the shorthanded Steelers to a comeback victory.
Career: Rudolph did not play as a rookie in 2018, and was thrust into a more-prominent-than-expected role in 2019 when Roethlisberger was lost for the season in Week 2 to a forearm injury.
Rudolph started eight games and played in 10, finishing with a 5-3 record while dealing with an injury of his own after suffering a concussion against Baltimore on Oct. 6. Rudolph missed the following game and then returned for five more before losing his starting job to Devlin Hodges, who filled in while Rudolph was injured.
Rudolph replaced Hodges in the Steelers’ Week 16 game at the New York Jets, but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
College: Rudolph worked his way up the depth chart as a freshman at Oklahoma State, starting three games after a pair of injuries.
After that, he was a three-time starter, completing over 63% of his passes and throwing for 13,618 yards. He was an All-America and All-Big 12 selection after the 2017 season.
Camp outlook: Roethlisberger will once again be the Steelers’ starting quarterback, and Rudolph will once again be the first man off the bench if the Steelers’ 39-year-old veteran can’t go.
Rudolph only got one chance to show his improvement in 2020, but a full slate of preseason games should give him a greater opportunity in 2021.
Future: Rudolph signed a one-year contract extension with the Steelers that runs through the end of the 2022 season, making him the only quarterback on the team whose contract extends beyond the end of this season.
The rest of the 90:
