Mason Rudolph appears poised to get a chance to win the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback job, and he had an intriguing quote about the possibility.
Rudolph said he was eager for the chance to replace Ben Roethlisberger, who is widely expected to retire. Rudolph suggested that the opportunity could make him more of a leader, and hinted that his ability to serve in that role has been curtailed with Roethlisberger around.
“I can maybe be a bit more myself, being the leader that I’ve always been at the quarterback position and not worried about stepping on the toes of a longtime Hall of Fame player,” Rudolph said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.
Rudolph’s situation isn’t all that surprising. Roethlisberger was in full control when active and healthy, leaving Rudolph in the background. That isn’t abnormal. What is a bit unusual is that, based on previous reports and hints, Roethlisberger hasn’t been very proactive in helping groom Rudolph, or anyone else, as his successor. Rudolph has taken that in stride, but the approach probably hasn’t helped Rudolph gain command of the locker room the way he would have liked to.
This certainly makes it sound like Rudolph felt the need to tread lightly around Roethlisberger. That could create an interesting dynamic assuming Roethlisberger is not there next season.
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