The Pittsburgh Steelers may have to start backup Mason Rudolph in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears. But if that happens, former Steelers defensive lineman Chris Hoke argued the offense is in good hands.
Hoke wouldn’t go so far as to say Rudolph should be starting instead of 4-time MVP Aaron Rodgers. But with the chance to play, Hoke stated Rudolph could be the next breakout star quarterback.
“Listen, if Aaron Rodgers is healthy, he’s going to play,” Hoke said on the KDKA Nightly Sports Call in Pittsburgh, via Steelers Depot’s Jake Brockhoff. “But you’re looking at Mason Rudolph, and it’s almost a situation where I start to wonder, it’s almost like a Sam Darnold, where all of the sudden, he clicks.
“If Mason Rudolph is given the opportunity and the keys to the car, will he run with this thing and do well? I believe if he is given the keys to the car and no leash, I think he can do well for the Steelers.”
Sam Darnold had a rough outing in Week 11, throwing four interceptions with zero touchdowns. But Darnold broke out with the Minnesota Vikings last season after J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury over the summer.
With the Seattle Seahawks this season, Darnold was an MVP candidate with a 71.1% completion percentage, 2,262 passing yards and 17 touchdowns before Week 11. In his first nine games this season, he averaged 9.9 yards per attempt.
Could Mason Rudolph Be the Next Sam Darnold?
Comparing Rudolph to Darnold is high praise for the Steelers backup. But it makes sense Hoke, who won a pair of Super Bowls with Pittsburgh during the 2005 and 2008 seasons, would have confidence in Rudolph.
In 2023, Rudolph came on to replace an injured Kenny Pickett and struggling Mitch Trubisky. Rudolph brought the Steelers back from the brink, leading them to three consecutive wins to end the regular season.
During those three contests, Rudolph posted a 74.3% completion percentage, 9.7 yards per pass and three touchdowns with zero picks.
Granted, that was a small sample. Rudolph was also only a third-round pick, not the No. 3 overall selection in the NFL Draft as Darnold once was.
Darnold is finally fulfilling his expected potential. As a third-round pick, though, Rudolph wasn’t a consensus projected future starter in the league.
But those three 2023 starts will give a lot of pundits confidence that Rudolph will at least be serviceable for the Steelers if Rodgers has to miss any games.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters after Sunday’s win versus the Cincinnati Bengals that Rodgers has a left wrist injury. Tomlin added that Rodgers will undergo further evaluation Monday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday the “initial concern” for Rodgers is that he has a break in his wrist. But that won’t be confirmed or refuted until the quarterback gets more tests to begin the week.
Rudolph played the entire second half Sunday in Rodgers’s absence. Rudolph completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards with a touchdown and zero picks.
Could Rudolph be Long-Term QB Solution for Steelers?
Every start for an NFL quarterback is an opportunity. If Rodgers can’t play on November 23, Rudolph will get another chance to show what he can do as a starter.
If he plays well enough with a big enough sample to end 2025, could Rudolph still be Pittsburgh’s long-term solution behind center? Hoke obviously believes that’s possible.
Should that happen, that would be a huge boost for the Steelers. Speculation has already run wild about what the organization could do at quarterback next offseason. Rumors have suggested Rodgers could come back.
As of November 17, Rodgers deserves to return as the Steelers starter for 2026. But the team surely wouldn’t mind having other options.
If he plays well, Rudolph would give the Steelers another option. He could even be one of the better options, given the potential free agent quarterbacks and Pittsburgh’s 2026 draft position.
In 18 NFL starts, Rudolph is 9-8-1 with a 62.76% completion percentage and 6.8 yards per pass. He also has 3,963 passing yards and 23 touchdowns versus 18 interceptions.
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