Steelers' Kenny Pickett out vs. Bengals, Mason Rudolph gets the start
Kenny Pickett has once again been ruled out, so Mason Rudolph is in and will start at quarterback when the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced Pickett's status and his decision at quarterback Thursday. Mitchell Trubisky, who started the last two games, will be the backup.
After saying the door was "ajar" for Pickett to play — less than three weeks after undergoing "TightRope" surgery on his right ankle — the second-year signal-caller practiced on a limited basis all week.
Rudolph, who played six snaps in the loss to the Indianapolis Colts last week, will start his first game since 2021. He faced the Detroit Lions in Week 10 that season and finished with 242 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the 16-16 tie.
When asked Tuesday about the possibility of playing under center, the veteran expressed excitement for himself and said his teammates were supportive. Tomlin said he made the move to Rudolph because he wants to create spark on offense.
The Steelers (7-7) are just outside of the AFC playoff picture as five teams sit ahead of them at 8-6, including the Bengals. Pittsburgh is on a three-game losing streak, but they face a Cincinnati team that will play without top wideout Ja'Marr Chase and that the Steelers have already beat.
