New location at Steelers headquarters, but same determination for QB Mason Rudolph

If Mason Rudolph didn’t get the change of scenery he thought he might find in free agency after spending five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he certainly got it when he returned to the team’s practice facility for organized team activities.

Rudolph’s locker, the one he had used every year since being drafted by the Steelers in 2018, was moved to another location. Instead of dressing in his customary stall situated among the offensive linemen, Rudolph’s locker was moved to an adjacent wall, closer to fellow quarterback Mitch Trubisky and several wide receivers.

“New real estate,” Rudolph said, surveying his surroundings.

That wasn’t the only change Rudolph encountered after he re-signed with the Steelers last week following a lackluster two-month stint in free agency.

Rudolph no longer had an engraved name plate situated about his locker. His last name was hand-written in black ink on a yellow piece of paper — the same treatment afforded the undrafted free agents, rookies and other newcomers.

Rudolph, though, had only himself to blame for this particular slight.

“I took it home,” Rudolph said of his name plate. “They let me take it. It’s in a bag in storage somewhere.”

Rudolph’s reasoning was that because it was his first foray into free agency — and because the Steelers already had Trubisky and starter Kenny Pickett under contract for 2023 — there was no reason to leave the name plate behind for future use.

It was a sound decision considering that when Rudolph exited UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in the days following a season-ending win against the Cleveland Browns in January, he probably didn’t expect to return. After getting virtually no first-team reps in the training camp competition with Trubisky and after Pickett moved ahead of him on the depth chart in the preseason and became the starter in the fourth week, Rudolph was looking for a fresh start elsewhere.

It just never materialized, which led to Rudolph accepting a one-year offer May 17 to return as the No. 3 quarterback.

“Never say never in this league,” Rudolph said, smiling.

The smile, Rudolph insisted, was genuine.

“I’m fired up to be back,” he said. “It’s a great group of guys. I had some opportunities, but felt like I didn’t want to let things drag out until training camp when I knew I was wanted here. I’m happy to be back in the 412.”

Not surprising for a quarterback who made just two starts in the past three seasons and dressed for just one game last season but took no snaps, Rudolph found lukewarm interest on the free-agent market. Then, his phone rang a few weeks ago. It was the Steelers calling to, as he said, “check the temperature.”

“I hadn’t really thought about (returning),” Rudolph said before correcting his words. “I mean, I had thought about it, but I can’t say I was seriously considering it. As time went on, I was sitting there. I didn’t really want to continue to wait. It was a long wait already.

“Here, you know the offense, you know the system. I felt pretty confident I’d have gotten some opportunity at a camp with a team who didn’t draft a rookie quarterback or a team that had a guy who didn’t impress. But you’re never guaranteed anything.”

Rudolph accepted the Steelers offer because of the team’s history of keeping three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. And this year, thanks to a new NFL rule, Rudolph will dress on game days as an emergency backup rather than stand on the sideline in street clothes.

“I wasn’t scared of competition,” Rudolph said. “I was looking forward to it, possibly at a new operation, but I’m glad to be back and see my close friends and teammates.”

Rudolph’s return brings some continuity to his position group. He has the most experience in offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s system and can be a sounding board for Pickett and Trubisky. And, in one holdover from his previous five years, he gets to keep his uniform No. 2.

“We’re excited to have him back,” Trubisky said. “We’ve got a good quarterback room. We’ve got chemistry. We have a good time together, but we work hard, too. We love having everyone back.”