Heading into the 2022 season, which would mark the first without Big Ben around, he was part of an open competition with Mitch Trubisky and then-rookie Kenny Pickett for the starting spot. But despite his experience with the organization, Rudolph ultimately emerged as the third-string QB and didn’t play in a single game as Trubisky and then Pickett each took the reins.
Rudolph was expected to look for a new landing spot this offseason where he could possibly fight for a bigger role, but no such news materialized. Now he and the Steelers are back in business, with Pittsburgh electing to go with a QB familiar with its offensive system rather than bring in a new face to round out its depth chart.
Pickett is entrenched as QB1 with Trubisky still viewed as a solid backup option, while Rudolph will compete with undrafted free agent Tanner Morgan of Minnesota for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.