When the Steelers contacted the agent for Mason Rudolph at the start of free agency this offseason, the decision by the quarterback to return to where his career had begun was an easy one.
Rudolph, a third-round draft pick of the Steelers in 2018, had left in free agency to sign with the Tennessee Titans for the 2024 season. But given the opportunity to return to Pittsburgh, Rudolph jumped at the opportunity.
"I just think it's a special place," Rudolph said Tuesday of Pittsburgh. "You know, I've got a lot of great friends and teammates here, a lot of comfortability with (head coach) Mike T(omlin) and the staff, and (general manager) Omar (Khan) put together a great roster. Who wouldn't want to be a part of this team and this offense?"
As the Steelers opened the third phase of their OTA sessions here at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex Tuesday, Rudolph took snaps in an unfamiliar position – as the quarterback with the first unit. He's taken first-team reps with the Steelers in the past, so that was nothing new.
But currently, the Steelers don't have another veteran quarterback with his experience on the roster. Skylar Thompson and rookie Will Howard are the other two quarterbacks currently on the roster.
Rudolph knows that could change in a moment's time, but the 29-year-old also has enough understanding of how things work in the NFL to not allow himself to worry about things he can't control.
"That's nothing new to me. There's been constant noise," Rudolph said of the Steelers potentially adding another veteran quarterback at some point. "That is the nature of the NFL. So I am used to that for a long time. Now I'm doing nothing but being the best I can be to help our team get better this spring."
Rudolph has appeared in 29 career games, 21 of which have come in a Steelers uniform, throwing for 4,615 yards with 28 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions.
But that includes his time with the Titans in 2024. Tennessee earned the first-overall pick in this year's draft by posting the worst record in the NFL. Rudolph played in eight games, making five starts, and throwing for 1,530 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions.
But the season did give him a different viewpoint on the league after spending his first six seasons in Pittsburgh.
"I think just perspective and experience and a different staff and a different team, and a lot of adversity, but a lot of good lessons learned," Rudolph said of his 2024 season.
Now, he can take those and perhaps build upon them with the Steelers, whom he has led to an 8-4-1 record in spot starts over the course of his career. That included a 3-0 record in 2023, when Rudolph started the final three games of the season to lead the Steelers into the playoffs.
"We won games down the stretch there, at an important time," Rudolph said of that stretch. "And I just think we played complimentary football. And, you know, the more time I spend in the NFL, you learn that it takes complimentary football, special teams, offense, defense. (Tomlin) put the statistics up today. I think we were the last two years, top two, No. 2, No. 3, in turnover margin here. So that comes from the culture that Mike T has created with ball-search and ball-security, and so that's something we're all working towards."
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And as a quarterback, Rudolph understands his place in helping the team accomplish that.
But not everything in Pittsburgh is the same as when he was here before. The Steelers are in their second year with Arthur Smith coordinating the offense, meaning Rudolph will be learning a new system.
He said that part of the transition has been great.
"He's very detail-oriented," Rudolph said of Smith. "I think he's a good teacher in the install room. He's been very clear to guys. Obviously you guys know he loves to pound the rock play-action. But he's also got a great collection of good drop-back pass concepts that I like. I think it fits my game, and it's been fun working with him."
