The Steelers had a chance to move on from Mason Rudolph, but they didn’t bite.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh listened to trade offers for the 31-year-old veteran quarterback and decided none of them were good enough to pull the trigger. That left the Steelers with the same four-quarterback setup they’re carrying into the 2026-27 regular season, just like the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, and Minnesota Vikings.
“The Steelers, I think, all along, we know they like (Will) Howard and (Drew) Allar; Aaron’s (Rodgers) the starter,” Schefter said on the Pat McAfee show Monday.
“The question was around Rudolph. They didn’t get anything offer-wise that was worth doing, and they like Mason Rudolph as a player, so they’re not just gonna give up on him right now. It just doesn’t make sense.”
The idea that Rudolph could be the one squeezed out never felt far-fetched. Howard is viewed as the likely successor to Aaron Rodgers after the 2026-27 campaign, while Allar stands as a longer-range bet for the future. Still, Pittsburgh chose to keep Rudolph in the fold rather than accept a package that didn’t move the needle.
That call also gives the Steelers another experienced option if the quarterback room gets hit by injuries.
Rudolph played in five games for Pittsburgh last season, going 38-for-52 for 310 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. At this point in early September, his experience with the team and his familiarity with the system help explain why he’s still on the roster.
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