MASON RUDOLPH (File Photo by Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.)
As the Steelers’ new starting quarterback, Mason Rudolph reflected on the Black and Gold’s incredible 30-23 New Year’s Eve victory over the Seattle Seahawks. I was impressed with his “us as a team” mentality instead of his having to stand at the postgame podium and make another series of excuses for another lackluster performance by a Steelers’ signal-caller. “He [Steelers wide receiver George Pickens] made big plays all day on third down and so did [wide receiver Deonte Johnson],” Rudolph said. “We knew that was our only shot to get into the tournament. Just so proud of the offensive line today. They carried us to the finish line.”
Mason Rudolph has evolved into an NFL quarterback, something I never thought I would never see.
If the Steelers’ regular first-string QB, Kenny Pickett, would spend a bit more time studying film instead of studying scripts preparing to film television commercials, then maybe, just maybe, he would be spotlighted as a game-changer as opposed to one of the three-and-out kings of the NFL. There have not been any Pickett-molasses-like starts by Mason Rudolph. The Steelers offense is beginning to function from a place of normalcy, seemingly purring like a well-oiled machine.
Let it be known that since the Steelers inserted Mason Rudolph as the starting QB, the nightmarish memories of the incompetent and inept performances of Kenny Pickett, hopefully, have become a thing of the past.
When Kenny Pickett was asked if he has learned anything sitting on the sidelines watching the team win during his “current” injury, he replied with a terse and irritated “no.” Well, it appears that Mason Rudolph has picked up a few morsels of insight while he was “riding the pine” as a backup to Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky during the past several seasons.
Now hear this, straight from the volcanic press: Steelerswire.usatoday.com posted this gem on Dec. 29, 2023. “[Mark] Madden posted on X this afternoon that he ‘just got told [Kenny] Pickett 100 percent refused to be the backup’ to Mason Rudolph in the Steelers’ game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17.”
That makes sense as to why Pickett was inactive, leaving Mitch Trubisky as Mason Rudolph‘s backup in the Steelers’ win over Seattle. Adding to the intrigue, Madden said the Steelers writers know that Pickett refused but won’t write about it.
In a recent appearance on “The Fan Morning Show,” The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly intimated the same thing. “I’m very, very highly skeptical that it was 100 percent Mike Tomlin’s decision that Kenny Pickett did not dress yesterday,” Kaboly said. “If he knew without question that Pickett refused to back up Rudolph, it would have been ‘on The Athletic website right now.’ There are some things you know and some things you can write, and there are some things you know you can’t write,” he said.
I don’t understand the statement: “There are some things you know and some things you can write, and there are some things you know you can’t write.”
If Steelers wide receiver George Pickens or any other Steelers player had refused to back up another position player, I “garontee” they would have been writing about whether it was true or false. Talking heads would have been calling for that player to be benched, traded, placed on waivers, or cut.
I think that Kenny Pickett may have opted for surgery only to retain his starting position and not to help salvage the 2023 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. What if Mason Rudolph had suffered an injury and Head Coach Mike Tomlin would have needed Pickett to salvage a win against the Seahawks for the Steelers to advance to the postseason? The former Steelers offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, was put on the hot seat because of the inept performance and incompetence of Kenny Pickett and Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been unjustly raked over the coals, too.
There was nothing wrong with the Steelers’ offensive philosophy. The only thing that the offense was lacking was a quarterback. With the resurgence of QB Mason Rudolph, they have found their man for the remainder of the 2023 season and for the 2024 campaign as well.
If Tomlin had designated a rusty, less than healthy, and traditionally slow starting QB Kenny Pickett to replace an on-fire Mason Rudolph to face a hungry Seattle Seahawks team also fighting for their playoff lives, Tomlin might not have just lost a game, he may have possibly lost his job.
Remember when Ben Roethlisberger divided the Steelers locker room unto himself and flexed his muscles against Mike Tomlin as well? Well, Kenny Pickett is trying the same approach in the Steelers locker room. However, there is one enormous difference. As a rookie quarterback who was pressed into service after Tommy Maddox was injured, Ben Roethlisberger endured a baptism of fire almost immediately. Also, “Big” Ben won 14 games in his rookie season with a passer rating of 98.1 and passed for 2,621 yards,17 touchdowns and 11 picks. Oh, and Roethlisberger also won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2004. There have been many occasions during the 2023 season that second-year QB Kenny Pickett would have been given an award just for getting two consecutive first downs. Everyone yakked about benching George Pickens to send a message. If Kenny Pickett refused to dress as the backup quarterback for not just for Mason Rudolph but for the Pittsburgh Steelers, let us see what punishment the sports “squawk boxes” suggest for a player who allegedly conducted his own personal “mutiny” against his team and his coach.
If Kenny Pickett, as it has been alleged, refused to dress as a backup, then he has become a cancer in the Steelers locker room. As we all know, all cancers must always be removed to prevent the cancer from spreading.
Pickett did address the media on Tuesday, Jan. 2, in an effort to tackle the rumors head-on. He denied the rumors that he declined the backup role for the Seahawks game. He did say that he is the “2,” or backup quarterback, for the game Saturday, Jan. 6, against the Baltimore Ravens.
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