Aug 13, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) warms up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Mason Rudolph has earned a starting role with the Pittsburgh Steelers by helping to lead the team to the postseason, but he for some reason remains behind Kenny Pickett on paper.
Rudolph started the final three games of the season for Pittsburgh, which were all wins. Not surprisingly, he will be under center again when the Steelers visit the Buffalo Bills in the opening round of the playoffs on Sunday.
Yet, Pickett is still listed as the No. 1 quarterback on the Steelers’ official depth chart. That is not an oversight, either. Mike Tomlin was asked on Tuesday why Rudolph has not supplanted Pickett on the depth chart.
“Would it make you feel better if I did?” the head coach responded, via Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot. “We’re going about our business cultivating a plan to win this week. We care less about division of labor in terms of what’s on pieces of paper and depth charts and so forth. … I’ve been transparent with you guys. (Rudolph’s) got the hot hand. He’s gonna maintain control of the ball. I don’t know why that is an issue to be quite honest with you.”
No one is saying the depth chart is an issue, but it is curious. It would be simple to move Rudolph to QB1 and Pickett to QB2, but the Steelers have obviously made a conscious decision to not do that.
Ray Fittpaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes the Steelers are leaving Pickett at the top of the depth chart “to protect the psyche of their young quarterback.” All signs point to Pickett returning as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback next season, while Rudolph is set to become a free agent.
A recent report claimed Pickett refused to serve as a backup behind Rudolph two weeks ago. The former first-round pick said that is untrue and that the coaching staff felt he was not ready to be active on game day. Pickett was Rudolph’s backup in Week 18.
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