Aug 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) sets up to throw the ball down field during the 1st quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Allison Lawhon-Imagn Images Allison Lawhon-Imagn Images

Steelers May Have Backup QB Battle

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Ari Meyer | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers might have a competition at the quarterback position this year.

Unlike last year, the team knows who will be their starting quarterback. Aaron Rodgers is set to lead the team into the coming season, but who will be directly behind him in the depth chart is not yet clear.

For the position, there are two clear names. Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson stand out as the two quarterbacks directly below Rodgers, but the issue is that it is not particularly clear who should be the second man up.

After a particularly strong training camp and preseason, the third option going into camp in Thompson has made it soi no one can ignore his case for the backup job. After being far and away the best quarterback for the team in each of the Steelers preseason games, Thompson has a better shot at backing Rodgers up than he did just a month ago. A 53-yard throw to Scotty Miller showed off his talent in their last game, making his case clear.

The topic was so clear, it was one of the main discussions on the post-game show. Ramon Foster and Charlie Batch both spoke on the matter on the show, which was aired on KDKA following the Steelers 19-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte.

“To be honest, (Rudolph’s) having a guy like Skylar Thompson, albeit it’s the preseason, outplay him,” Foster said. “And that’s just the truth. This is a black-and-white league when it comes down to how you are evaluated. And I think he’s made it hard on himself.”

Batch then spoke on Thompson, mentioning how strong of a preseason he has had and projecting his spot on the Steelers' roster for the coming season.

“I believe he is in conversation for that backup job based off his play,” Batch said.

Pittsburgh has plenty of decisions to make across their roster over the next few days, but once their 53-man team is set, it'll be about finalizing the depth chart.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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