Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season, and the Pittsburgh Steelers should gladly discuss Mason Rudolph if Philadelphia starts shopping for quarterback help. Pittsburgh has already installed Rudolph as its veteran QB2, but that role shouldn't make him untouchable.
Philadelphia's situation changed dramatically after additional testing revealed a deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in Hurts' lungs. The Eagles announced Monday that Hurts is stable, receiving blood thinners, and is expected to make a full recovery without long-term effects. Football, understandably, has to wait.
The Eagles are also 2-4 after Sunday's loss to Carolina. Tanner McKee started that game, and Philadelphia now has to decide whether adding another veteran quarterback is worth spending resources on a season already sliding away.
Pittsburgh Steelers have every reason to shop Mason Rudolph
Rudolph is exactly the sort of quarterback Philadelphia could consider. He has starting experience, won't require an offense to be rebuilt around him, and has shown he can keep a talented roster functioning for stretches.
Steelers fans also know the ceiling.
Rudolph's best Pittsburgh stretch came in 2023, when he started the final three regular-season games and went 3-0 while completing 74.3 percent of his passes for 719 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. That run helped rescue Pittsburgh's season and earned him a playoff start.
Tennessee provided the less romantic version. Rudolph signed with the Titans during the 2024 free-agency period and later started five games. Tennessee went 1-4 in those starts, while Rudolph finished the season with 1,530 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions across eight appearances.
That doesn't make Rudolph useless. It makes him what Pittsburgh currently needs him to be: a capable reserve rather than somebody blocking long-term quarterback evaluation.
The Steelers have Aaron Rodgers starting, with Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar behind him. Pittsburgh has already faced questions about whether keeping so many quarterbacks could eventually force a trade.
Rudolph has a legitimate case as the safest backup on the roster, something he demonstrated throughout the offseason. But safety isn't sacred. If Philadelphia offers late-round draft capital for a 31-year-old reserve while Pittsburgh is carrying two developmental quarterbacks, Omar Khan should listen.
The Eagles need help more than the Steelers need four quarterbacks. If Howie Roseman wants Rudolph, Pittsburgh should make that conversation very easy.
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