Mason Rudolph reflects on rookie season on Steelers' bench

[stillers4me]

It wasn’t easy, Mason Rudolph acknowledges, serving as a No. 3 quarterback and not playing in meaningful football games for the first autumn of his competitive life. But as his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers was ending, Rudolph was able to reflect on how far he came in 2018.


“I was telling my college coach that I talk to a lot, beginning of the season I was like, ‘Wow, NFL football, it’s crazy,’ ” Rudolph said. “And then the middle of the season, I was like, ‘I’m really starting to understand this, just the way the week flows, to game day.’


“And then the last couple weeks (of the season), it was, ‘I can play now if I had to.’ ” ...........

read more @ https://triblive.com/sports/steelers/14592120-85/qb-mason-rudolph-reflects-what-he-learned-from-rookie-season-on-steelers

[tube517]

QB CONTROVERSY!!!!!!

KARDASHIANS!!!!!

[DesertSteel]

I'm optimistic that Mason is the next guy to lead this team for 10 years.

[lipps83]

I would like to see him on the field sooner as opposed to later. I am ready to move on from Ben.

[AtlantaDan]

Deciding whether Rudolph is Ben's successor is going to be tricky

Assuming Ben plays 2 more years and does not miss significant playing time, Rudolph will be going into the last year of his 4 year rookie contract before he hits free agency with no significant regular season playing time when the Steelers will need to decide whether to sign him to an extension or risk having him test the market in free agency.

Packers had a chance for Rodgers to play a full year in the 4th year of his 5 year rookie contract before deciding to sign him long term

Patriots moved Garrapolo during the 3rd year of his 4 year rookie contract for reasons including Garrapolo having little interest in signing an extension to continue to sit on the bench

https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-brady-jimmy-garoppolo-tension-brewing-decision-2018-1

[vasteeler]

I would like to see him on the field sooner as opposed to later. I am ready to move on from Ben.

Why in the hell would you be ready too move on from the winningest quarterback we have had since Bradshaw. That makes no sense at all to me. Especially since he's still playing at a very high level.

[Mojouw]

Deciding whether Rudolph is Ben's successor is going to be tricky

Assuming Ben plays 2 more years and does not miss significant playing time, Rudolph will be going into the last year of his 4 year rookie contract before he hits free agency with no significant regular season playing time when the Steelers will need to decide whether to sign him to an extension or risk having him test the market in free agency.

Packers had a chance for Rodgers to play a full year in the 4th year of his 5 year rookie contract before deciding to sign him long term

Patriots moved Garrapolo during the 3rd year of his 4 year rookie contract for reasons including Garrapolo having little interest in signing an extension to continue to sit on the bench

https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-brady-jimmy-garoppolo-tension-brewing-decision-2018-1

Further, they are going to miss out on the “cheap as hell rookie QB” team building window. By the time they figure out what they have in Rudolph, it will be either time to pay him or time to find someone else.

[DesertSteel]

Deciding whether Rudolph is Ben's successor is going to be tricky

Assuming Ben plays 2 more years and does not miss significant playing time, Rudolph will be going into the last year of his 4 year rookie contract before he hits free agency with no significant regular season playing time when the Steelers will need to decide whether to sign him to an extension or risk having him test the market in free agency.

Packers had a chance for Rodgers to play a full year in the 4th year of his 5 year rookie contract before deciding to sign him long term

Patriots moved Garrapolo during the 3rd year of his 4 year rookie contract for reasons including Garrapolo having little interest in signing an extension to continue to sit on the bench

https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-brady-jimmy-garoppolo-tension-brewing-decision-2018-1
My guess, Dan, is this: Ben will get hurt and miss 4-6 games at some point in the next 2-3 years. Rudolph has to be the guy they put in. It's imperative that he wins the #2 spot this year because Dobbs is NOT the guy. So they will get an extended audition while Ben is out to help them decide.

[Shoes]

My guess, Dan, is this: Ben will get hurt and miss 4-6 games at some point in the next 2-3 years. Rudolph has to be the guy they put in. It's imperative that he wins the #2 spot this year because Dobbs is NOT the guy. So they will get an extended audition while Ben is out to help them decide.


That's about how I see it panning out.

[steelreserve]

Further, they are going to miss out on the “cheap as hell rookie QB” team building window. By the time they figure out what they have in Rudolph, it will be either time to pay him or time to find someone else.

That's the disadvantage you are stuck with when trying to do a rolling reload somewhat intelligently. You want a cheap rookie QB contract, that means you either had to suck right before you drafted him, took a huge gamble and got lucky, or just had really really really amazing luck with a low pick plus the timing worked out so he got a window to play.



Deciding whether Rudolph is Ben's successor is going to be tricky

Assuming Ben plays 2 more years and does not miss significant playing time, Rudolph will be going into the last year of his 4 year rookie contract before he hits free agency with no significant regular season playing time when the Steelers will need to decide whether to sign him to an extension or risk having him test the market in free agency.

Yup, that's why they need to make him the #2 quarterback no matter what, and probably try putting him in some garbage time games (in either direction).

By the way, unrelated to this, I think "The Garbage Time Players" would make a good name for a traveling theater group. I don't know what they'd do exactly, but it'd be awesome.

[Mojouw]

That's the disadvantage you are stuck with when trying to do a rolling reload somewhat intelligently. You want a cheap rookie QB contract, that means you either had to suck right before you drafted him, took a huge gamble and got lucky, or just had really really really amazing luck with a low pick plus the timing worked out so he got a window to play.




Yup, that's why they need to make him the #2 quarterback no matter what, and probably try putting him in some garbage time games (in either direction).

By the way, unrelated to this, I think "The Garbage Time Players" would make a good name for a traveling theater group. I don't know what they'd do exactly, but it'd be awesome.

As I was posting that, I was realizing that while missing that nice 3-4 year period of a cheap rookie QB starter, it isn't like they had another way to do this! I've said last several years now that if I was running a team I would take a chance on a 3-5 round QB almost every single draft.

I think the Rudolph pick can only help the team in the long run. This is a league where people wanted to trade multiple picks for AJ McCarron.

[AtlantaDan]

My guess, Dan, is this: Ben will get hurt and miss 4-6 games at some point in the next 2-3 years. Rudolph has to be the guy they put in. It's imperative that he wins the #2 spot this year because Dobbs is NOT the guy. So they will get an extended audition while Ben is out to help them decide.

I agree that is likely

Past two years have been unusual with Ben not getting hurt and missing a stretch of games

And unlike the situation in New England, Rudolph would not be looking at signing an extension to sit on the bench indefinitely

IMO Ben is highly unlikely to play past 2021 and, in the unlikely event the Steelers win a Lombardi before that, would ride off into the sunset as Elway, his idol growing up, did

[Shoes]

I agree that is likely

Past two years have been unusual with Ben not getting hurt


Probably because of this..

QB Ben Roethlisberger's average time to throw of 2.38 seconds in 2018 was the fastest of any NFL QB in the regular season.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/2/9/18210954/this-week-in-pittsburgh-steelers-stats-various-numbers-and-rankings-from-the-2018-season-nfl-news

[Fire Goodell]

Probably because of this..

QB Ben Roethlisberger's average time to throw of 2.38 seconds in 2018 was the fastest of any NFL QB in the regular season.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/2/9/18210954/this-week-in-pittsburgh-steelers-stats-various-numbers-and-rankings-from-the-2018-season-nfl-news

Pouncey Decastro Foster Villanueva are good reasons too. We invested big in the OL and it paid off

Oh, and Munchak :(

[Shoes]

Pouncey Decastro Foster Villanueva are good reasons too. We invested big in the OL and it paid off

Oh, and Munchak :(

No question about that, only will it continue since Munch is gone?

[pczach]

Probably because of this..

QB Ben Roethlisberger's average time to throw of 2.38 seconds in 2018 was the fastest of any NFL QB in the regular season.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/2/9/18210954/this-week-in-pittsburgh-steelers-stats-various-numbers-and-rankings-from-the-2018-season-nfl-news



That's not possible. I have it on the authority of many experts here that Ben holds the ball way too long and isn't smart enough to read defenses before the snap. He also plays with the most talented players in the history of the NFL even though they are rarely on the field for him at one time. They should be averaging 50 points a game if only he wasn't holding the offense back and calling only passing plays because he runs the entire team. He probably designed the defensive schemes and makes all the calls too.

When you combine that with his lack of leadership and talking to the media, they should probably just release him right now to end the real cause of all the drama...…

The Mason Rudolph era needs to begin...…..Let the championships commence!

In all seriousness, I'm a huge Big Ben fan and I think he's great....But if Ben goes down and Rudolph lights it up, that could transform this team with the talent and draft picks they would be able to get for Ben, while removing his huge salary from the cap to to sign free agent talent. It would be a dream come true if a quarterback already on the roster shows that he could be the next franchise guy.

[Shoes]

That's not possible. I have it on the authority of many experts here that Ben holds the ball way too long and isn't smart enough to read defenses before the snap. He also plays with the most talented players in the history of the NFL even though they are rarely on the field for him at one time. They should be averaging 50 points a game if only he wasn't holding the offense back and calling only passing plays because he runs the entire team. He probably designed the defensive schemes and makes all the calls too.

When you combine that with his lack of leadership and talking to the media, they should probably just release him right now to end the real cause of all the drama...…

The Mason Rudolph era needs to begin...…..Let the championships commence!

In all seriousness, I'm a huge Big Ben fan and I think he's great....But if Ben goes down and Rudolph lights it up, that could transform this team with the talent and draft picks they would be able to get for Ben, while removing his huge salary from the cap to to sign free agent talent. It would be a dream come true if a quarterback already on the roster shows that he could be the next franchise guy.


I'm sure hoping so!

[st33lersguy]

I think with some good coaching around Rudolph and a good offensive system he could be good for the Steelers. I think they need a QB coach who is just a QBs coach that can work with the young guys, not just have the QBs coach double as OC/Ben's caddy. I know that may hurt Ben's ego to have a QBs coach pay attention to some of the other QBs and that may require too much work for Art Rooney to go out and actually find a new guy but I think it will provide some long term benefit. It would also be helpful to get a real look at Rudolph before his rookie contract is up.

[steelreserve]

I think with some good coaching around Rudolph and a good offensive system he could be good for the Steelers. I think they need a QB coach who is just a QBs coach that can work with the young guys, not just have the QBs coach double as OC/Ben's caddy. I know that may hurt Ben's ego to have a QBs coach pay attention to some of the other QBs and that may require too much work for Art Rooney to go out and actually find a new guy but I think it will provide some long term benefit. It would also be helpful to get a real look at Rudolph before his rookie contract is up.


If you don't know whether you have a competent starter by the time his rookie contract is up, you kind of wasted the pick.

If you didn't even use him as a backup, you REALLY wasted the pick.

Hopefully if you do the second one, you figure out the first.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yykC0mY04TA

[Mojouw]

I'm mostly kidding...but about a year from now if the following happens:

1. Rudolph looks good or better than good during the preseason.
2. Rudolph looks decent or better during the regular season in spot duty or garbage time.
3. The Steelers do not win the SB.

The "drama" will be off the charts as the fan base calls for a changing of the guard from Ben to Rudolph. Remember in Favre's last season in GB they went 13-3, lost in the NFC Championship game, Favre went to the Pro Bowl, and then things got messy. And at that point Rodgers had attempted 59 regular season passes.

[Shoes]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yykC0mY04TA


I love this kid. I think he has all the tools, it just needs to happen. I like his feistiness also, I remember in preseason he was hit a bit late on one play and he went right into the D-lineman's face. :chuckle:

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I love this kid. I think he has all the tools, it just needs to happen. I like his feistiness also, I remember in preseason he was hit a bit late on one play and he went right into the D-lineman's face. :chuckle:

Yes, his attitude, leadership and work ethic are all something that I think is outstanding. Every interview I hear from him indicates that he mentally has the ability to succeed. The play I remember the most is a skinny post in preseason to JuJu for a TD that he threw in a tight window and in rhythm when he stuck his back foot and let it fly. A great NFL throw.

Rudolph was invited to last year Senior Bowl, but could not participate due to a foot injury, so he showed up and did the weigh in and interviews. Here is a link to another good video of him talking to Mayock, Charles Davis, etc on the NFL Network. http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-draft/0ap3000000909857/Mason-Rudolph-explains-why-he-s-the-top-QB-in-this-class

I have mentioned what I saw as a mechanical flaw in his delivery and footwork. I hope he has somebody working on his technique and footwork to improve his accuracy. I really like the kid as well.

- - - Updated - - -

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-draft/0ap3000000909857/Mason-Rudolph-explains-why-he-s-the-top-QB-in-this-class

[pczach]

Yes, his attitude, leadership and work ethic are all something that I think is outstanding. Every interview I hear from him indicates that he mentally has the ability to succeed. The play I remember the most is a skinny post in preseason to JuJu for a TD that he threw in a tight window and in rhythm when he stuck his back foot and let it fly. A great NFL throw.

Rudolph was invited to last year Senior Bowl, but could not participate due to a foot injury, so he showed up and did the weigh in and interviews. Here is a link to another good video of him talking to Mayock, Charles Davis, etc on the NFL Network. http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-draft/0ap3000000909857/Mason-Rudolph-explains-why-he-s-the-top-QB-in-this-class

I have mentioned what I saw as a mechanical flaw in his delivery and footwork. I hope he has somebody working on his technique and footwork to improve his accuracy. I really like the kid as well.

- - - Updated - - -

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-draft/0ap3000000909857/Mason-Rudolph-explains-why-he-s-the-top-QB-in-this-class



There is nothing to not like about Rudolph from a personal standpoint. He has everything you want from a personality, leadership, and work ethic standpoint, and appears to be a really likeable kid.

What we don't know is how talented he really is at the NFL level just yet. I hope we find out soon. I really want to see him succeed and I am rooting for him to do so.

[st33lersguy]

He seems to have the right intangibles. No reason he shouldn't be good with proper coaching

[Born2Steel]

Rudolph QB'd the OkState Cowboys for 3 1/2 seasons. Has spent 1 season as a 3rd stringer for the Steelers. Coaching is about done. Either he has what it takes to take that next step or he doesn't. I think he needs another year at backup duty to help quicken his thought process, but other than that it's go time. I hope he is ready once Ben does decide to hang up his cleats.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Rudolph QB'd the OkState Cowboys for 3 1/2 seasons. Has spent 1 season as a 3rd stringer for the Steelers. Coaching is about done. Either he has what it takes to take that next step or he doesn't. I think he needs another year at backup duty to help quicken his thought process, but other than that it's go time. I hope he is ready once Ben does decide to hang up his cleats.

I respectfully disagree that coaching is done. Rudolph spent those 4 years at OK State in a no huddle, spread offense, which is different than the Steelers. I think he is a hard enough worker to take the coaching in the NFL to get to a pro style offense, with different pre snap reads and smaller windows to throw in. Even in the video link posted, he shows that his eyes don't move his feet as he goes thru his reads and when he scrambled in the one play, he was not quick to get his feet squared up to throw. All those things can be improved with further coaching and I hope he was getting it last season.

[zulater]

Why in the hell would you be ready too move on from the winningest quarterback we have had since Bradshaw. That makes no sense at all to me. Especially since he's still playing at a very high level.

Yeah moving on from the guy with the 3rd best qbr in the league will obviously make the team better!:alcoholic:

[zulater]

What the 2019 Steelers need is a genuine back up for Ben. Someone who can go in a game at any point and maintain some level of competency were Ben to miss all or parts of games. Had we had someone to fit that bill last season we likely beat Oakland and the season has a different feel entirely. So if Rudolph has developed to the point that he can be a competent back up for the here and now then I'm all for him. But what we can't have is two developmental qb's that aren't ready to manage an NFL game yet.

Dobbs isn't and never will be an NFL qb imo. Guy's obviously got the brains, but the ability just isn't here. To me the Steelers need to bring in a veteran free agent to challenge Rudolph for the back up position. Sam Bradford if he can pass a physical might be someone to look at. I know he stunk it up in Arizona last year, but that was a rudderless offense. Hard for anyone to make that look good. Anyway Bradford or someone like him needs to be brought in in case Mason is a pretender.

[AtlantaDan]

I respectfully disagree that coaching is done. Rudolph spent those 4 years at OK State in a no huddle, spread offense, which is different than the Steelers. I think he is a hard enough worker to take the coaching in the NFL to get to a pro style offense, with different pre snap reads and smaller windows to throw in. Even in the video link posted, he shows that his eyes don't move his feet as he goes thru his reads and when he scrambled in the one play, he was not quick to get his feet squared up to throw. All those things can be improved with further coaching and I hope he was getting it last season.

I hope so too.

As you and I discussed previously, other teams combine the OC/QB coach duties (such as the Pats), but unless Fichtner is the king of multitasking his duties as OC have to take time away that could be spent on the responsibilities of a QB coach, such as working with Rudolph, if he was not filling both positions.

This from Fichtner last summer

In addition to running the offense for the first time in his professional career, he will continue to serve as the quarterbacks coach — a surprising move by the Steelers for a position they value so dearly. While the job of mentoring Roethlisberger is akin to being tourism director of Hawaii, Fichtner will have less time to spend working with Josh Dobbs and rookie Mason Rudolph....

“I had a conversation with all the quarterbacks so they understand the role is split and I’m not going to ever try and diminish what I have to do in that room,” Fichtner said. “They may have to adjust a tad bit more, communicate with others. They had me for every second. Now it’s not every second.”

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2018/08/15/randy-fichtner-steelers-offensive-coordinator-todd-haley/stories/201808150117

Hard to see how Rudolph would know how to adjust since he never had Fichtner full time.

[86WARD]

Yes. They need a Charlie Batch type, Byron Leftwich type, Tommy Maddox type that has a football head and can help Ben. Dobbs and Rudolph can’t help him on the sideline the way the others listed can.

[Mojouw]

Yes. They need a Charlie Batch type, Byron Leftwich type, Tommy Maddox type that has a football head and can help Ben. Dobbs and Rudolph can’t help him on the sideline the way the others listed can.
It is almost like they need to fill the coaching position that really good high schools even have now -- QB coach. Weird. What a novel idea...

[hawaiiansteeler]

I would like to see him on the field sooner as opposed to later. I am ready to move on from Ben.

AB agrees with you.

[st33lersguy]

Ben is already starting to decline, he led the league in INTs last year and cost some games with his carelessness. By 2020, he'll be a shell of his former self. I rather the Steelers move on from him a year or 2 too soon than hold on to him for too long and still play him when he is clearly way past his prime just because of past success

[zulater]

Ben is already starting to decline, he led the league in INTs last year and cost some games with his carelessness. By 2020, he'll be a shell of his former self. I rather the Steelers move on from him a year or 2 too soon than hold on to him for too long and still play him when he is clearly way past his prime just because of past success

He was 3rd in the league in QBR. A comprehensive stat that measures every aspect of a qb's play. And yes he led the league in interceptions. But he also led the league in attempts , completions, and yards.His interception rate of 2.4 was identical to Phil Rivers and only slightly higher than Andrew Luck. Only .02 above league average.

His game hasn't declined. Only the defense he's playing with has. And the loyalty and football intellect of the fans that follow the team.

[86WARD]

It is almost like they need to fill the coaching position that really good high schools even have now -- QB coach. Weird. What a novel idea...

Brilliant!!

[Six Rings]

I would like to see him on the field sooner as opposed to later. I am ready to move on from Ben.



This is crazy talk. The Steelers are a .500 team without Ben. He's still excellent, and in case you missed it, lead the NFL in passing yardage last year.


As for Rudolph, I am not impressed with his arm or ball security. He'll need to improve both. Playing quarterback can be tough on rookies. We'll see how much he has improved this camp.

[AtlantaDan]

This is crazy talk. The Steelers are a .500 team without Ben.

Probably significantly worse than that since they went 9-6-1 with Ben having a very good season.

[Six Rings]

Probably significantly worse than that since they went 9-6-1 with Ben having a very good season.

That had a lot to do with Tomlin's poor coaching, Chris Boswell losing all confidence, and a defense that had difficulty producing turnovers.


The Steelers suffered an epic collapse at the end of the season. Only three teams in the history of the modern NFL started out 7-2-1 or better and did NOT make the playoffs, and the other two had significant injuries and lost their quarterback.

[vasteeler]

He was 3rd in the league in QBR. A comprehensive stat that measures every aspect of a qb's play. And yes he led the league in interceptions. But he also led the league in attempts , completions, and yards.His interception rate of 2.4 was identical to Phil Rivers and only slightly higher than Andrew Luck. Only .02 above league average.

His game hasn't declined. Only the defense he's playing with has. And the loyalty and football intellect of the fans that follow the team.

Quit making sense...Ben sucks, end of story.

[Born2Steel]

That’s a short reflection.