Steelers Fans, Mason Rudolph All In on Redemption Arc Love-Fest

Mike Tomlin is a strong believer in football justice. Well, Mason Rudolph certainly got what he deserved in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 34-11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. Rudolph’s football story personifies determination and patience. He just needed an opportunity, and he ran with it.

Rudolph, who hasn’t started since 2021, completed 17 of 27 passes (63.0%) for 290 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 124.0. His 86-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens on the Steelers’ second offensive play was the longest play from scrimmage in the NFL this season.

Rudolph also connected to Pickens on a 44-yarder just before the half that set up a Chris Boswell field goal and a 66-yard touchdown down the left side line in the third quarter that put the game away. It was by far the best performance by a Steelers quarterback all season. In fact, he become the first Steelers quarterback to pass for 250+ yards and 2+ touchdowns in a game since Ben Roethlisberger in Week 14 of the 2021 season. 

The Black and Gold faithful at Acrisure Stadium were so impressed by Rudolph’s performance that they chanted his name throughout the fourth quarter, a far cry from when he got booed during a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks in 2022. After the win, they sang “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

The Acrisure Stadium crowd singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on Christmas Eve Eve during the Mason Rudolph game is just poetic. pic.twitter.com/FL5RTfq61z

— Lia Assimakopoulos (@Lassimak) December 24, 2023

“It’s a week-to-week league. I’ve been on the other end of it. … We’ve got a lot of passionate fans and it was a joy to play in front of them tonight,” Rudolph said on the crowd chanting his name.

Rudolph added that it was a “Very rewarding” experience. Team captain Cam Heyward gave Rudolph the game ball, his first of his NFL career.

“He was Mason,” Tomlin said. “He has a belief in himself. He’s aggressive in his play style. I thought he did a really good job not displaying a lot of rust for a guy that hadn’t played a lot.”

A Pittsburgh Steelers fan holds a homemade Mason Rudolph sign during a game against the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 23, 2023. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Rudolph admitted he’d thought about the possibility that this might be his last NFL start if it didn’t go well.

“Absolutely. Yeah, I think you never know. You got confidence in yourself as a player, but you’re kind of thinking am I going to jump in the commercial real estate realm or am I going to be playing quarterback?” Rudolph wondered. “Those thoughts come into your head.”

After Saturday’s win, Mason Rudolph proved he can be a starting NFL quarterback. He just needed a chance.

“Being a player and earning my paycheck and not just feeling like a freeloader. … I’m just so thankful to God for throwing me a bone and giving me an opportunity to play,” Rudolph said.