Steelers News: When did Mason Rudolph’s 2019 season fall apart?

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season is officially over. After finishing the year 8-8, the Steelers, and their vast fan base, has another long offseason awaiting them. Just because the games are done doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take at when it was that Mason Rudolph’s first season as a starter completely fell apart.

Let’s get to the news:

• Mason Rudolph had a golden opportunity in 2019 when Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season with an elbow injury, but things went south for the former Oklahoma State quarterback.

Was it really just 6 quarters that did in Steelers QB Mason Rudolph’s season?

By: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The cliche goes that “votes of confidence” in sports are dreaded, the implication being a public show of support for an athlete or coach often can portend his firing, demotion or release.

But over the 2½ weeks since the season ended, Mason Rudolph has gotten some pretty influential votes of confidence in his status as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ No. 2 quarterback.

First, it was Mike Tomlin. “I’m comfortable with Mason Rudolph,” Tomlin said during his season wrap-up news conference. Later, Tomlin added, succinctly: “Mason is the backup” to starter Ben Roethlisberger.

And if the endorsement from the coach wasn’t powerful enough, how about even higher up the organizational hierarchy — as in, to the very top?

“As we sit here today,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a meeting with local reporters Wednesday, “we are all comfortable with Mason being our backup.”

While some are clamoring for the Steelers to add a veteran as insurance for again losing Roethlisberger, the Steelers’ top brass — publicly, at least — seems intent on sticking with Rudolph.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Some say L.C. Greenwood should be the next Steelers player enshrined, but a contributor could be the next.

Mark Madden: Bill Nunn’s bust should join Steelers greats in Pro Football Hall of Fame

By: Mark Madden, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

I grew up loving the Pittsburgh Steelers of the ’70s: four Super Bowl wins and right in my wheelhouse chronologically.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame made me hate those Steelers.

Ten players, the coach, the owner and the owner’s son/primary designer of those teams are recognized by Canton. Thirteen men. But Yinzer Nation always wants more.

Defensive back Donnie Shell no sooner got announced as a member of the Hall of Fame’s Centennial Class this past Wednesday than the campaign started for defensive end L.C. Greenwood: “WHAT ABOUT L.C.?”

What about the ballboy? What about the crew that worked the chains? What about “Dirt” Dinardo, the groundskeeper? Where does it stop?

But another man contributed to those Steelers teams who belongs in the Hall of Fame, because his contributions went far beyond winning games.

Bill Nunn was a scout for the Steelers from 1967-69, then the assistant personnel director for the team from 1970-87. After that, Nunn scouted part-time for the Steelers until 2014, passing away that year at 84. He was a great man.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Steelers are going to do whatever it takes to keep Bud Dupree.

Steelers will “do our best to figure out how” to keep Bud Dupree

By: Josh Alper, ProFootballTalk

Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree picked a good time to set career highs in sacks and quarterback hits.

Dupree is set for unrestricted free agency in March and his 11.5 sacks will likely look appealing to teams looking to improve their pass rush off the edge in 2020. That will require Dupree hitting the market and Steelers owner Art Rooney II intimated that’s not a sure thing when discussing the impending free agent this week.

“We’d like to have Bud back, no question about it,” Rooney said, via PennLive.com. “And we’ll do our best to figure out how to make it happen. But we’d like to have him back and I’ll stay optimistic that we’ll be able to figure out how to make it happen.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

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