There is some uncertainty as to who the Pittsburgh Steelers will start at quarterback on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, but wide receiver Diontae Johnson made his opinion known on Thursday.
He would like to see Mason Rudolph get a chance.
“I want to see him play,” Johnson told the Pittsburgh media on Thursday. “I know he’s ready to play, and I know it’s probably in the back of his mind to get his chance. I feel like this week is it for him. He’s doing everything to prepare this week and play on Sunday.”
Johnson added that Rudolph is still his guy and that the veteran quarterback looks locked in during practice. It should also be noted that Johnson was specifically asked if he would like to see Rudolph play and simply answered the question. It did not seem to be intended as an unprompted shot at the other quarterbacks on the roster.
The issue for the Steelers this week is that Kenny Pickett is in concussion protocol for the second time this season, while Mitch Trubisky is coming off of a brutal three-interception performance after coming in as a replacement. With Pickett’s status still unknown, Trubisky and Rudolph have split the first-team snaps this week in practice.
Rudolph is the longest-tenured quarterback on the Steelers roster but was viewed as an afterthought coming into the season following the signing of Trubisky and the selection of Pickett in the first round. The last time he played a regular season game for the Steelers was a 16-16 tie against the Detroit Lions a year ago. He has started 10 games in his career, with most of those games coming during the 2019 season when former starter Ben Roethlisberger missed the majority of the season due to injury. The Steelers are 5-4-1 in those games. He has thrown 16 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in his career.
Pickett is obviously the long-term option for the Steelers, while neither Rudolph nor Trubisky figures to be on the roster next season.
The Steelers’ playoff hopes took a major hit this past Sunday in their 16-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but they still have a mathematical shot and still want to win football games. It would not be a surprise if Trubisky, who opened the year as the starter and quickly lost the job to Pickett, has fallen out of favor following his three-interception game on Sunday. Especially when two of those interceptions came in the red zone and a third was picked off in the end zone on a deep pass.
The Steelers had started to win games recently by simply protecting the ball, and head coach Mike Tomlin seemed frustrated with Trubisky’s interceptions. That has opened the door for Rudolph to maybe get one more look with the team.
