Red zone touches in the first half of Week 1 morning games: 5 - Jonathan Taylor (100% red zone snap rate) 4 - David Montgomery (80%) 4 - Chase Brown (100%) 3 - Chuba Hubbard (100%) 3 - Breece Hall (80%) 3 - Derrick Henry (75%) 3 - D'Andre Swift (67%) 2 - Jahmyr Gibbs (50%) 2 - Bucky Irving (100%)

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 8, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph opened training camp and is opening the regular season as the Steelers' No. 2 quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers on their Week 1 depth chart. He is the only quarterback other than Rodgers with regular season experience, which likely contributed to head coach Mike McCarthy's decision to keep him in the backup role ahead of Will Howard (No. 3) and rookie Drew Allar (No. 4).

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PositiveRoleSep 8, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Rudolph improved during the offseason and played well in the first preseason game against Green Bay, earning Aaron Rodgers' praise for having 'closed the door' on the backup quarterback conversation; Rodgers applauded his performance and improvement.

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PositiveRoleSep 8, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Rodgers applauded Rudolph's improvement during the offseason and his performance in the first preseason game against Green Bay, saying he 'closed the door' on the backup quarterback conversation. This suggests Rudolph solidified his role as the veteran backup through strong play.

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NegativeRoleSep 2, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Rudolph is the veteran backup quarterback in the Steelers' four-quarterback room alongside Aaron Rodgers, Will Howard, and Drew Allar. With Rodgers in his final season, Rudolph is positioned as a potential competitor for the starting job in 2027 alongside Howard and Allar.

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NegativeMatchupSep 2, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph benefits from Myles Garrett's trade to the Rams, as the Steelers will not face the elite pass rusher in 2026 unless both teams reach the Super Bowl. Rudolph, who returned to Pittsburgh after a one-year stint with the Titans, is relieved to avoid regular-season matchups against Garrett in the AFC North.

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NegativeRoleSep 2, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Rudolph is one of three backup quarterbacks behind Aaron Rodgers on the 53-man roster; there has been reported trade interest in Rudolph that the Steelers didn't act on before cutdowns because of compensation concerns, and he may be part of the team's four-quarterback roster strategy.

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 1, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph remains on the Steelers' 53-man roster as part of the team's four-quarterback depth chart; the organization is keeping all four quarterbacks (Rodgers, Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar) for the foreseeable future as they seek depth and evaluate their franchise quarterback situation.

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NegativeRoleSep 1, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Rudolph is Pittsburgh's veteran backup quarterback kept to maintain stability, but the overall quarterback room lacks excitement with Rodgers, Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar.

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NegativeRoleAug 31, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Quarterback Mason Rudolph is the backup to Aaron Rodgers for the Steelers, with Drew Allar and Will Howard behind him.

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NegativeDepth ChartAug 31, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Pittsburgh Steelers kept Mason Rudolph on the 53-man roster as one of three quarterbacks; the source notes the Steelers need to figure out if they have a successor to Aaron Rodgers, suggesting Rudolph is part of the team's quarterback evaluation process.

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PositiveRoleAug 31, 2026Footballguys

Veteran backup quarterback with significant team trust; the Steelers have a lot of confidence in Mason Rudolph as the primary backup in their quarterback room.

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NegativeDepth ChartAug 30, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Mason Rudolph retained on the 53-man roster as backup quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers.

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NegativeRoleAug 30, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph will play out the one year remaining on his deal as the primary backup to Aaron Rodgers, giving the Steelers a battle-tested backup in case of Rodgers injury.

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PositiveRoleAug 30, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph earned vocal praise from head coach Mike McCarthy during training camp and went 10-of-11 in the team's opening preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, which led to him earning the final two games off as the clear backup to Aaron Rodgers.

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PositiveRoleAug 30, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Rudolph earned vocal praise from head coach Mike McCarthy during training camp and went 10-of-11 in the team's opening preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, earning him the final two games off while Howard and Allar were the only two quarterbacks to play; kept on Steelers' 53-man roster as backup to Aaron Rodgers.

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PositiveNewsAug 30, 2026SleeperNFL

SleeperNFLon X

The Steelers really kept all 4 QBs 😭 Aaron Rodgers Mason Rudolph Will Howard Drew Allar

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NegativeDepth ChartAug 28, 2026Yahoo Fantasy Football

Rudolph is the clear-cut backup to Rodgers and sat out the final preseason game. However, he is a free agent this spring, creating uncertainty about his long-term role. The Steelers may be grooming Howard and Allar as potential top two quarterbacks for next season.

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PositiveDepth ChartAug 28, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph is positioned as one of two veteran quarterbacks behind Aaron Rodgers on the Steelers depth chart. Head coach Mike McCarthy indicated confidence in keeping all four quarterbacks on the active roster, calling the evaluation 'very accurate' and stating the team has 'two veterans that we can win with,' suggesting Rudolph has earned his roster spot through preseason performance.

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PositiveDepth ChartAug 28, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Expected to be listed at QB2 entering regular season; at this point it will be surprising to see anyone other than Mason Rudolph in that role, given lukewarm preseason performances from both Will Howard and Drew Allar in Week 3.

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NegativeRoleAug 28, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph appeared in the preseason opener for the Steelers as part of the team's quarterback evaluation process behind starter Aaron Rodgers.

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NegativeDepth ChartAug 27, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Rudolph seems unlikely to get cut, but it's not typical for a team to keep four quarterbacks. Aaron Rodgers and recent draftees Will Howard and Drew Allar seem like locks. If Rudolph is on the roster it probably means the Steelers will be carrying four quarterbacks.

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NegativeRoleAug 26, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Ben Roethlisberger suggests that Mason Rudolph could be placed on the practice squad as an alternative to keeping all four quarterbacks on the roster, indicating Rudolph is lower in the quarterback hierarchy; this recommendation is viewed by some as potentially skewed due to the infamously strained relationship between Roethlisberger and Rudolph.

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PositiveRoleAug 26, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Rudolph holds a clear lead in the QB2 race following Will Howard's two-interception performance on Friday.

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PositiveRoleAug 26, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Rudolph holds a clear lead in the QB2 race following Will Howard's two-interception performance in preseason; he is expected to make the 53-man roster.

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NegativeRoleAug 26, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Rudolph is competing for a roster spot in Pittsburgh's four-quarterback room alongside Aaron Rodgers, Drew Allar, and Will Howard. McCarthy values Rudolph's significant NFL experience and familiarity with Pittsburgh's system, positioning him as a veteran presence behind Rodgers. The head coach believes keeping all four quarterbacks would enhance the regular season and support the development of younger passers.

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NegativeRoleAug 26, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Backup QB competing for roster spot in Pittsburgh's four-QB room, providing significant NFL experience and familiarity with the Steelers' system. McCarthy's philosophy values the competition and preparation within the quarterback room; Rudolph's experience as a former starter gives the organization veteran depth behind Rodgers while supporting the development of younger passers Allar and Howard.

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PositiveRoleAug 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Rudolph's roster spot feels all but secured after Mike McCarthy gave him the night off against the Jets, allowing Will Howard to start. This decision signals confidence in Rudolph's standing on the roster.

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PositiveRoleAug 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph, despite not even playing against the Jets, took a clear lead in the QB2 battle over Will Howard following Howard's poor preseason showing with two interceptions and no touchdowns.

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PositiveRoleAug 23, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

The source states that Mason Rudolph, despite not even playing, took a clear lead in the QB2 battle after Will Howard's poor performance against the Jets. This positions Rudolph as the likely backup heading into the regular season.

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NegativeDepth ChartAug 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph is listed as the backup quarterback to Aaron Rodgers on the Steelers' roster. He is the team's only experienced backup, though the source raises questions about whether the Steelers can afford to go into the season without a veteran backup behind a 42-year-old starter given the team's commitment to keeping four quarterbacks total.

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PositiveRoleAug 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

Mason Rudolph has solidified his position as the backup to Aaron Rodgers following Will Howard's poor preseason performance. Howard's two interceptions and lack of awareness made the quarterback decision easy for Mike McCarthy and the offensive staff, eliminating any real competition for the QB2 role.

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PositiveRoleAug 22, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain

Will Howard's poor Week 2 preseason performance—two interceptions and poor pocket awareness—solidified Mason Rudolph as the backup quarterback to Aaron Rodgers. The source notes that had Howard built on a solid Week 1 and led scoring drives, there would have been a real question about keeping all four quarterbacks or trading Rudolph; instead, Howard's struggles made the quarterback decision very easy for Mike McCarthy and the offensive staff.

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