PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Mason Rudolph says he knows as much as anyone on the outside regarding Ben Roethlisberger’s status for Sunday. He doesn’t know if Ben will be out of COVID protocol and ready to play.
“Whether he plays or not is out of my control,” Rudolph said Thursday. “What I can control is having good practices and leading the guys. Prepping hard with Matt and Sully and see what happens later in the week.”
Rudolph said quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan is having Zoom meetings with Roethlisberger, but he is just trying to focus on what he can do to get the team ready. He surely sympathizes with Ben, but wants to play.
“That’s the battle between self and team,” Rudolph said. “We are all going to feel that way inside, but at the end of the freakin’ day what matters is the team and going out and winning the game. Regardless who is playing the quarterback position, we want to win. We want to continue to stack wins and set ourselves up for the postseason.”
Last week was a tie, Rudolph was 30-50 for 242 yards with a touchdown and an interception against Detroit.
“There was a lot to take in, obviously not good enough to win,” Rudolph said of reviewing Lions tape. “There were some throws I missed. I was proud of how we battled back and put ourselves in position to win the game a couple times. Had the ball not roll our way with a couple of costly turnovers.”
“I was happy to get out there and play, make mistakes and improve. Do some good things as well. Trying to prove myself again this week. I hope I get the opportunity, if not, I will support the crap out of Ben and our team. I will adjust.”
He said the week of learning and now a full week of him prepping to be the starter is invaluable. Rudolph said each week every Steelers quarterback studies the game plan and tells Matt Canada what plays he likes and doesn’t. He also talked with Canada Wednesday night from home with ideas he had that they will use Sunday.
The fourth-year QB loves the way the system works and believes he will be well prepared.
It’s Sunday Night Football at the Chargers, all eyes on Rudolph this week to see what he can do.
“We know there is some extra sauce on it,” Rudolph said. “We are excited to play in front of your peers. I don’t think I need to put any more pressure on it as a player as you would a game at 1 o’clock on a Sunday.”
“Every opportunity is an opportunity to prove myself to my teammates, to our coaches, that I want to be a starter, can be a starter. I’m not going to put any more pressure on it. I’m my own hardest critic at times, to a fault.”
“If that happens & I’m the guy. We are going to go.”