I BELIEVE IN MASON RUDOLPH

Here's an excerpt from my latest TribLive.com column:

[In the Steelers' preseason opener,] the citizens got a reminder of something they’ve been unwilling to accept: Mason Rudolph is a good quarterback.

Rudolph went 9 for 10 for 84 yards, a touchdown and a quarterback rating of 135.0 in the Steelers’ 31-25 victory at Jacksonville on Saturday.

It’s not the stuff legends are made of. Not like Shedeur Sanders’ overhyped pro debut for Cleveland on Friday.

But it’s further proof of Rudolph’s capability and a reminder of how well he played when he went 3-0 at the end of the 2023 season to squeak the Steelers into the postseason. (He lost the playoff game. Of course. Mike Tomlin was coaching.)

Rudolph is one of the NFL’s most reliable backups.

To read more, click HERE.

Besides Ben Roethlisberger, Rudolph has the most passer ratings of 100 or better among Steelers quarterbacks since 2020.

Rudolph has six in 13 starts. Russell Wilson had five in 11. Justin Fields had one in six. Mitch Trubisky had one in seven. Kenny Pickett had one in 24. (Those numbers courtesy of @scarpizio on X.)

Boy, did Pickett stink. Now he's going to get cut by Cleveland. He was a first-round pick in 2022, quickly became a journeyman, and might soon be UFL material.

He's no Mason Rudolph. I believe in Mason Rudolph. Say his name and he appears.