PITTSBURGH — Mason Rudolph is the Steelers’ backup quarterback. He was the Steelers’ backup quarterback last season. I expect him to be the backup quarterback this upcoming season, and next season I expect him to compete for the starting job.
This Dwayne Haskins redemption story has been incredible. And I don’t mean his actual story of former first-round pick to getting cut and now finding a place with the Steelers to revive his career. That story is an old one — as old as sports — and more of those stories end up having underwhelming endings than not.
I am talking about the way the actual story of Haskins has grown a life of its own. I have heard so many platitudes thrown at this guy that I am wondering if the Steelers signed Haskins or John Elway in his prime. It is almost as if nobody has actually watched Haskins play in an NFL game — it isn’t like he has played in 16 NFL games or anything — or his results don’t matter.
It started with Mike Tomlin’s unprompted comments about Haskins leading up to the draft.
"It's exciting from a coaching perspective with one of those guys being a 22-year-old guy like Dwayne Haskins who was viewed globally as having first-round talent just a short time ago,” Tomlin said. “We're excited about working with him and seeing what his skill set is.”
Then Roethlisberger talked as if Haskins has Dan Marino’s arm, Peyton Manning’s mind and Michael Vick’s legs last week when he met with the media for the first time since the season. He said he thinks Haskins’ release, throwing motion and mechanics are “some of the prettiest I’ve seen,” and that Haskins “could throw it through a car wash, it wouldn’t get wet.”
Wait, what?
I get it, he is a former first-round pick. I get this even more: Many people are down on Rudolph. And there is a reason for that as he has played inconsistently since getting real opportunities to play.
Rudolph didn’t exactly distinguish himself in 2019 when Roethlisberger was hurt, but the Steelers hung with him. And he had some injury issues and the entire country thinking he was a racist and those things contributed to some of his poor play. And the “He lost his job to Duck” crowd seem to forget that last season those two legitimately competed for the job and Rudolph won.
Rudolph also showed something in the Steelers’ finale last season against the Browns. Keep in mind he was playing with a skeleton crew in some ways because the Steelers were resting players as they had already clinched the division, and the Browns needed to win in order to get into the playoffs.
Rudolph was 22 of 39 for 315 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He was a dropped two-point conversion from tying the game late and basically almost knocked the Browns out of the playoffs as the Steelers fell 24-22. The next week, with Roethlisberger and the rest of the regulars playing, that same Browns team skull dragged the Steelers.
The thing that Rudolph showed in that game was that he can be an effective passer when he is allowed to throw the ball down the field. He seems to be a really good fit for the Steelers’ new Matt Canada-led offense because there will presumably be a lot of play action shots down the field.
The Steelers also showed a commitment to Rudolph by giving him an extension on his contract and seemingly committing to him for 2022 as well. They haven’t done that with Haskins, yet, and there is a chance he doesn’t even make the team.
Maybe Haskins beats out Rudolph, but he is facing long odds. Rudolph has the advantage of having been here now for four years, having worked with Canada and understanding the team’s personnel. He also throws a pretty deep ball, though, I fear it might get wet going through a car wash so, my bad, maybe Haskins is the guy.
I digress.
Rudolph may or may not become a good NFL quarterback, but he does always say the right things. He was asked Tuesday about all of the competition he is now facing for the backup job — from both Haskins and Dobbs — and he basically said “bring them on.”
"I think you're always excited and looking forward to competition," Rudolph said. "You know that it's going to be there each and every year, it's just a matter of who. Competition makes everybody better, and you look forward to that, especially in the offseason."
I am rooting for the Haskins story, I really am. There is nothing better than a redemption tale, and he is young enough that he could still become a star. I am just not ready to pretend like I didn’t watch him play the last few years, and I think people are chasing ghosts in trying to pull a first round talent out of him.
Rudolph may never be the starter in Pittsburgh. He might ultimately lose his job to Haskins. But I need to see that first before I believe it, and I don’t think Washington would have cut him if they believed he was destined to become a star.
