'Everybody Loves You Now': Mason Rudolph returns to Acrisure Stadium for the 1st time since his 2023 heroics
The last time Mason Rudolph left the field at Acrisure Stadium, he did so to the sound of cheers and applause.
“It’s a one-of-one sort of a stadium with the feel of the yinzers’ best,” Rudolph said after a recent training camp practice.
That game was a 34-11 make-or-break win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 23, 2023.
You remember. Rudolph saved Christmas.
GEORGE PICKENS TOUCHDOWN AGAIN.
He can not be stopped tonight.
????: #CINvsPIT on NBC
????: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/yewPow3ekF pic.twitter.com/JbRic5KPmP— NFL (@NFL) December 23, 2023
It was his first start in a Steelers uniform since a 16-16 tie against an 0-8-1 Detroit team during the 2021 season. He went 17 of 27 for 290 yards with no interceptions and two touchdowns.
The combination of Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky had dropped three in a row to a trio of non-playoff teams from Arizona, New England and Indianapolis over the span of the previous 13 days.
It had the Steelers on the brink of playoff elimination until Rudolph played the role of hero and followed up that win over the Bengals with victories in Seattle and Baltimore to secure a playoff spot for the Steelers, before dropping a wild-card game in Buffalo.
That charmed streak completely changed Rudolph’s perception in Pittsburgh. He went from being the quarterback no one wanted to see replace Ben Roethlisberger to the guy many people preferred to see at the helm instead of future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers as recently as mid-May.
What is your preference at this point for the #Steelers at QB to open 2025?
— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) March 14, 2025
We’re talking about a guy who was getting booed during the 2022 preseason because he got snaps before Pickett. By Week 18 of 2023, he was Pittsburgh’s favorite prodigal son.
• Drafted with an alleged first-round grade in 2018.
• Concussed once.
• Bashed on the head with his own helmet a few weeks later, and eventually benched for a guy named “Duck” in 2019.
• Put in dry storage for the next two years.
• Buried on the depth chart, turned loose to free agency, only to end up returning anyway in advance of 2023.
• Eventually leaving in free agency for Tennessee last year once Russell Wilson and Justin Fields arrived.
Now Rudolph is back and ready to hear the applause he never got to relive as he left the field following that massive win against the Bengals. He’ll surely hear plenty of it Saturday night when the Steelers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their second preseason contest on the North Shore.
Based on his 135 passer-rating performance in Week 1 of the preseason down in Jacksonville, you can expect it to be even louder than it would’ve been if the Steelers had opened at home.
Too easy for @_Dwfootball11 ????
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/nh18hrDdOK
— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2025
“It’s exciting to be back. Such a historic football city. The fans are awesome. It’ll be fun,” Rudolph said.
Rudolph believes he’s already gotten a taste of what it’s like to be welcomed back under happier circumstances this summer during training camp at Saint Vincent College.
“The warmest of welcomes,” Rudolph said prior to the Jacksonville game. “It makes you appreciate training camp with all these fans sitting through hot practices to cheer us on. It’s just special.”
With starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers likely to sit again this week, Rudolph should get the start. That’ll expand the base of understanding he has with his offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who is working with Rudolph for the first time this season.
“He played well. Every quarterback I’ve had is different, with the way they prepare and what they need to know. You can drown them with too much information, so you just have to get a feel for them,” Smith said.
More sports
• After shaky debut, Steelers rookie RB Kaleb Johnson vows to be better in 2nd preseason game
• Neal Shipley celebrates Tour card with 63 on Korn Ferry Tour
• Pitt gets 3 players on All-Time All-America team after 100 years
That concern hasn’t been an issue thus far for Rudolph as he learns Smith’s system.
“Just seeing how he operates in Art’s scheme, it’s been great,” tight end Pat Freiermuth said. “He has been who he is since Day 1. I think he is a helluva quarterback.”
Four years ago, that comment about Rudolph would’ve been scoffed at by Steelers fans. But these days most people in Western Pa. are at least willing to consider it.
Until Rodgers actually plays his first game in Black and Gold, Rudolph is the flavor of the month.
With the release of the new “And So it Goes” documentary on HBO Max, a lot of people are in a Billy Joel “State of Mind” these days. One of my favorite tracks of his, “Everybody Loves You Now,” makes me think of Rudolph walking into that stadium on the North Shore on Saturday night.
”All the people want to know your name
And soon there will be lines outside your door
Feelings do not matter in your game
Yeah, ‘cause nothing’s gonna touch you anymore
So your life is only living anyhow
And everybody loves you now.”
Well, until that next interception anyway, Piano Man.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.