The Pittsburgh Steelers, who alternated quarterbacks three times throughout the season, finished with ten victories and a postseason berth. While being a one-and-done in the postseason may not seem like much, this club with that offence was not anticipated to do much. It’s a little surprising to hear that the Steelers won’t likely look for another experienced quarterback who may contend for the starting job in the upcoming season, given the difficulties at the position in 2023.
Ben Roethlisberger’s replacement, Kenny Pickett, was selected in the draft, but things haven’t gone as smoothly as head coach Mike Tomlin and the front staff had intended. Now that Mason Rudolph went 3-0 as the starter late in the season and helped Pittsburgh secure a postseason berth, there appears to be a rift in the organization’s allegiances. When Big Ben made remarks about his time as Rudolph’s teammate in December, he further fueled the flames of controversy.
“I was trying to help Mason as much as I could when Mason played for me,” quarterback quarterback Peyton Roethlisberger said on his podcast, “Footbahlin’,” on December 31. “Afterwards, he simply never asked for my assistance anymore, so I withdrew,” Roethlisberger remarked.
Despite those remarks, the Steelers are already in a quarterback competition for the upcoming season, and the NFL season doesn’t even begin until the following month. Not to be overlooked is the fact that Mitchell Trubisky was previously involved; during the previous season, he began a few games that resulted in losses. Both Pickett and Rudolph concluded the season as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterbacks with winning records.
Rudolph has been around for a while, even though he has played well while being in Pittsburgh. In 2018, he was selected in the third round by Oklahoma State. While others argue that Pickett hasn’t formally taken it, this is meant to be his time. That’s a valid point, as some believe that despite his successes in certain games, Pickett hasn’t fully assumed control of the offence.
Midway through the season, Pittsburgh made a wise decision in parting ways with previous offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Their offence has been lackingluster and stale for a while. Some believe the Steelers aren’t yet set for the future at quarterback, even after moving on from Canada. Yes, Rudolph did play well in the closing minutes, but Pickett is thought to be the preferred player. But sometimes you have to defy expectations, especially if there’s a seasoned quarterback out there who would offer you a better opportunity.
Making a run at the playoffs with the same lineup that Tomlin and company put in place in ’23 is going to be difficult. And without a reliable quarterback for every game, things will only grow harder in the challenging AFC North division and deep league. Should the franchise’s members be divided regarding Pickett and Rudolph, then optimism for the ’24 campaign would be difficult to muster.
There will be players like Ryan Tannehill and Kirk Cousins available. Compared to Cousins, Tannehill will probably be considerably lower on the list; but, Cousins recently suffered an Achilles tear. Who knows what he’ll be when he gets back, at 35 years old? It appears like Tannehill is also getting close to the end.
