Mike Tomlin Insists That Mason Rudolph is Still Ahead of Devlin Hodges on Steelers QB Depth Chart
Following a brutal 8-8 campaign that saw his team fall just short of making the playoffs, Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin was asked about the status of the team's depth chart heading into the offseason, specifically at the QB position.
With the implication being that Ben Roethlisberger was the definitive QB1 heading into the offseason, Tomlin acknowledged that he was "comfortable with Mason Rudolph" as the backup going forward.
Mike Tomlin: "I'm comfortable with Mason Rudolph."
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 31, 2019
Reporter: "What about Devlin Hodges?"
Tomlin: "Mason's the back up."
While neither Rudolph nor Hodges inspired much hope in their respective tenures starting for the team, Rudolph appears to have the brighter future, judging from his excellent collegiate career and his status as a former third-round pick. Unfortunately, the team may need to rely on Hodges as the defacto backup for a bit longer, as Rudolph will need time to recover from the clavicle injury he suffered in Week 16.
Mason Rudolph had surgery to fix a posterior sternoclavicular dislocation, an injury that can threaten several vital structures near the medial clavicle.
— Post-Gazette Sports (@PGSportsNow) December 31, 2019
“They were worried it would puncture my aorta,” he said. “It was very scary.”
From: @gerrydulac ⬇️https://t.co/BDED2Xrxya
While Tomlin stated that he was "comfortable" with Rudolph, something tells me that he and Steelers GM Kevin Colbert will be taking a long look at quarterbacks this offseason after seeing the Hodges/Rudolph duo combine for 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.