Could Mason Rudolph end up with Super Bowl contender in 2023?

If you made it through the 2019 Mason Rudolph and Devlin “Duck” Hodges season, it’s safe to say you’re a true Pittsburgh Steelers fan. That same year when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, heads turned to the backup quarterback, Rudolph. 

Rudolph was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft with the 76th overall pick. Coming off of a strong college career at Oklahoma State, he was seen as a viable option as the backup quarterback.

Rudolph has had a rocky road in Pittsburgh. With his first starting opportunity during the 2019 season, it was a tumultuous run full of Myles Garrett controversy and an alarming concussion, which ultimately led the Steelers to turn to Hodges, an undrafted free agent. That season, Rudolph threw for 1,765 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Following the 2019 season, Rudolph served as the backup under Roethlisberger once again.

When Roethlisberger announced his retirement at the end of the 2021 season, the backup expressed his hope to become the No. 1 signal-caller for the black and gold. Rudolph spoke on the matter to Jim Rome of CBS Sports:

“The last few years, am I preparing like a starter? Yes, but you know when you get back to camp, there’s a Hall of Fame quarterback there who is the starter. So I am excited for the opportunity, having a chance to be the starting quarterback. That’s all you can ask for.”

Rudolph's dreams were crushed when the Steelers brought in a former first-round pick, Mitch Trubisky, and drafted the University of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick. Despite a productive camp from Rudolph, it never truly felt as though he had a real shot in the quarterback competition. Trubisky quickly took on the first-team reps, and by the end of camp, and Pickett was named as No. 2 on the depth chart. Rudolph did not see game action during the 2022 season, and it’s clear that he would be happy for an opportunity elsewhere.

This NFC West Team Could Be The Right Place For Rudolph Instead Of Steelers

No team has had more starting quarterbacks this past season than the San Francisco 49ers. Quarterback Trey Lance went down in Week 2 with an ankle injury requiring surgery, backup Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot, and the fate of the “Faithful” was in the hands of Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. 

Purdy was far more successful than expected for the 49ers and led them to the NFC Championship Game, only for the injury bug to bite once again, which left Purdy ruled out with a ruptured UCL.

With Purdy and Lance both returning from major injuries and Garoppolo approaching free agency, the 49ers may have an open spot at the quarterback position. With two strong options at QB1, it doesn’t make sense for the 49ers to seek out an expensive solution. This makes Rudolph a viable choice for the team. Rudolph is a free agent this offseason and will likely be looking for an opportunity to rebrand himself. As seen in San Francisco, Kyle Shanahan knows how to create success for a less-experienced quarterback and run a high-powered offense.

While the 49ers don’t need a long-term solution, neither does Rudolph. Rudolph merely needs the chance to prove himself, and the 49ers need to buy some time for the quarterback room to heal. This creates a win-win situation between the Pittsburgh quarterback and the 49ers.

Where do you think Rudolph will end up? Are the 49ers a good option?