It would be fair to say that Mason Rudolph has never been fully embraced by the fan base of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Drafted in the third round in 2018, he came in with loftier expectations because of former general manager Kevin Colbert’s rare admission that they had a first-round draft grade on him.
After spending his rookie season inactive, he won the backup job in 2019, and then was forced into extensive playing time after Ben Roethlisberger injured his elbow. He had some bright spots, but there’s a reason the team signed a veteran free agent this offseason and then drafted a rookie in the first round after Roethlisberger retired.