Mason Rudolph on QB Battle in Pittsburgh: ‘I Don’t See Myself Being No. 1 This Year’

Mason Rudolph enters 2019 with a fresh perspective. He’s learned a lot since this time last year when the Steelers’ third round pick faced the challenge of breaking into a new NFL life, much less an NFL roster.

After being picked with the 76th overall selection in last year’s draft, many foresaw Rudolph as the heir apparent to franchise passer Ben Roethlisberger. The rookie appeared to be gunning for the job of long-toothed backup Landry Jones over the previous year’s fourth-round pick Josh Dobbs.

But Jones was shown the door and Dobbs’ full year in the system gave him the edge over the newbie earning him the No. 2 spot.

Rudolph never saw the field during the regular season, but he made use of that time to shore up one of his biggest deficiencies — and one common to many first-year quarterbacks — his limited grasp on the Steelers’ offense.

And he’s continued to dive into the playbook as he starts his first full NFL offseason.

“It allowed me about four months of deep dives and conversations with the coaching staff, hitting them up and studying,” Rudolph said. “I enjoy that stuff. I can kind of get into a little bit of a nerd mentality in the offseason. It’s fun studying and being back here ready to go and put it on display.

“It’s 100 percent [different] for me internally; I’m just comfortable all the way around with everything we do, inside and outside the building, especially mentally with the offense, understanding the schemes and how we practice.” [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Now that he’s spent his own year learning how to be an NFL player, Rudolph is ready to compete with Dobbs for the No. 2 role behind Roethlisberger.

“I don’t see myself being No. 1 this year,” Rudolph said according to the same article. “So that would be the next best opportunity.”

Rudolph knows that opportunity could come at any time, and he’s now more comfortable vying for that backup role. Roethlisberger, now 37, has had his issues with injury in the past and even when healthy allows for reps for his backup. Last year he appeared in 16 games for the first time in five seasons and just the fourth time during his 15-year career.

“That’s what it is,” Rudolph said. “It’s football. You know you’re one play away sometimes and you got to be ready to go and prepare like you’re the starter. That’s what I’ve always done since I stepped into a high school or college program.

“You respect the guys in front of you. We have a Hall of Fame quarterback in Mr. Roethlisberger. I just prepare my butt off. I’m just 100 more times comfortable.”