Strackbein Says: Mason Rudolph was luck and his expectations are empty
Ben Roethlisberger may not have been as happy as everyone else when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Mason Rudolph.
In an interview with ESPN, Roethlisberger made it known that he wasn’t going anywhere for awhile. So, if you’re one of the Steelers fans hoping Rudolph takes over sooner rather than later, it doesn’t look like the end of the tunnel is coming for at least 3-5 years.
Ben’s attitude towards the situation is understood. No one wants to be pushed to the edge of the cliff waiting to jump. The Steelers have been his team for 15 years, and now the flashy new arm is on campus and everyone wants to know when the old man is calling it quits.
No one is asking that, though. Unlike teams like the Ravens and Browns who will now have a quarterback problem from day one, Pittsburgh wants Ben around. Play three to five more years. Please.
This city loves to win, and Ben has been the key to winning for over a decade. Instead of replacing him, people only want someone to learn. Because when No. 7 actually hangs up the cleats, the fans aren’t looking for any missed time before the next Super Bowl run.
Rudolph’s slide to the third-round wasn’t planned by Pittsburgh. This team wasn’t waiting for their next quarterback to be there in the middle of the draft. They got their guy in the first and second, and when the Oklahoma State quarterback was still around someone went, “hey, we might as well draft him.”
The plan was not to draft Rudolph in this draft. He’s first-round talent that somehow fell to the third. If the Steelers really had him in their sights, they would’ve drafted him 28th and started all the controversy two rounds sooner.
They didn’t though. Because they don’t want controversy. This is Roethlisberger’s team, everyone knows it’s Roethlisberger’s team, and if you don’t then you need to watch any Steelers’ game since 2004.
All Rudolph is, is a successor. His job is to sit as the backup for three years, learn from Ben and then come in and be able to win right away. If he out-plays Ben’s career, great, but no one is looking for him to replace Roethlisberger at any point.
Next: Best/Worst case scenario for each draft pick
Pittsburgh is the City of Champions. Mason Rudolph may have played like one against Pitt, but even five touchdowns and 423 first half yards later, he still hasn’t earned his place at Heinz Field. Ben’s a champion. And until he says it’s time to hand off the torch, no one expects a different number behind center.