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Steelers' Mason Rudolph has a brutally honest take on how he's handling the quarterback drama in Pittsburgh
Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mason Rudolph has spent the majority of his seven years in the NFL as a backup. 

But when thrust into a starting role the last time he was in Pittsburgh, he performed very well. 

And while he's technically the starter right now, he knows who looms over his shoulder and he's not worried about it...

Mason Rudolph is ignoring the "noise" that is the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh

"That's nothing new to me," Rudolph told Pittsburgh media on Tuesday regarding the looming Aaron Rodgers decision. "There's been constant noise. That is the nature of the NFL. So I have been used to that for a long time now. (I'm going to) do nothing but be the best I can be and help our team get better this spring."

The truth is, Mason knows better than anyone that the Steelers will add another quarterback. Pittsburgh always goes to camp with four signal callers. Right now, they have three. 

And as bullish as many are on Will Howard and the experience of Skylar Thompson, those two are backups, meaning their fourth addition will be the starter outright, or competition for Rudolph at the very least.

"Whoever they bring in and whoever it is will determine … I learned a long time ago that the financial compensation will tell you what’s going to go down in terms of the depth chart," Rudolph said last week on Kaboly and Mack. "I get it. All I can do is keep having a good spring … and make the most of every rep. That’s what I’ve done my whole career. I am confident that I will be able to play well and win games when my name is called.”

It's an odd dynamic, to say the least. Players might avoid the questions and brush off this time as simply being OTAs, but when you're this late in the offseason, and you are unsure of who your starting quarterback is going to be, it is a tad bit concerning. 

Add in the fact that Aaron Rodgers of all people is the lead candidate, and the polarization level goes up a notch.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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