The Pittsburgh Steelers looked like their season was spiraling too far out of control just two weeks ago. They were riding an unexpected three-game losing streak that included losses at home to the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots, who were both 2-10 at the time of kickoff.
Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett was injured against the Cardinals, complicating things even more. With their record at 7-6, the Steelers’ playoff hopes were holding on by a thread. Looking to find any kind of spark on offense, head coach Mike Tomlin opted to make another quarterback change.
Mitchell Trubisky, who had been playing in place of Pickett but struggling, was benched. In his place, the team turned to Mason Rudolph, who has played very well and led the team to two victories over the Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks.
Now 9-7, the Steelers have a realistic path to the postseason. If they can handle business against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, who are resting players after clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC, they have excellent odds of advancing.
NFL News & Rumors: Mike Tomlin, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers Updates
While the winning has been nice, it has created a bit of an awkward situation in the quarterback room. Despite Pickett being healthy, Tomlin seems ready to commit to Rudolph in another must-win situation. That led to an odd quote being delivered by the head coach.
“Man, he is a competitor. He wants the football, he wants to play, but at the same time, he’s a team player and so um, our agenda is winning football games right now. I imagine that’s everybody’s mindset.”
There have been rumors that Pickett refused to be the backup quarterback to Rudolph despite being healthy. It is something he has refuted, but an unexpected quarterback controversy has seemingly been created in Pittsburgh.
This will be something to keep an eye on because if the Steelers continue winning, the spotlight on Rudolph and Pickett will only intensify. If Tomlin isn’t benching Rudolph after two straight wins, it is hard to envision him doing it should he win a third and help Pittsburgh back into the postseason.
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