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    • What you need to know about the Tennessee Titans backup quarterback
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    What you need to know about the Tennessee Titans backup quarterback

    Vaseline Posted on

    Mason Rudolph moved from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Tennessee Titans and found himself in a similar position.

    The Titans’ backup quarterback made his team debut in relief of Will Levis in Monday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.

    Rudolph has an ideal mix of experience as a productive quarterback and, at 29, as a modern backup quarterback in the NFL. Last year, Rudolph started the season as QB3 behind second-year passer Kenny Pickett and veteran Mitchell Trubisky as the franchise evaluated the long-term viability of both at the position. This year, Rudolph is backing Levis, who is in his second NFL season and still relatively unknown as a professional QB.

    Here’s what you need to know about the Titans’ QB2:

    Rudolph had one of the best QB careers in Oklahoma State history as a three-year starter from 2015-2017, throwing for over 4,000 yards in each of his final two seasons.

    In those three seasons, the Cowboys won 10 games each and were ranked in the top 20 to end the campaign. Oklahoma State’s QB-friendly playing style helped, but Rudolph finished his OSU career with the most career wins in program history, while also ranking fourth in Big 12 history in passing yards. Rudolph was honored as a Third-Team All-American by the AP in his senior season.

    The Rock Hill, SC native entered the 2018 NFL Draft as one of the Day 2 quarterbacks in a historically strong class that included first rounders Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

    Rudolph was a third-round selection at No. 76 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers and was not immediately the QB2 for the Steelers behind Ben Roethlisberger with Joshua Dobbs also in the position room. But he was the top backup heading into the 2019 season, making his NFL debut in Week 2 against the Seahawks after Ben Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending elbow injury.

    Rudolph suffered a concussion a month later after losing two of his first three starts, missed one start and then bounced back to win three straight games before throwing four interceptions in a loss to Cleveland and eventually getting benched for Duck Hodges in a Week 12 game against Cincinnati.

    Rudolph made a start in Week 17 against the Browns in 2020 with mediocre results, and started again in a draw in Week 10 in 2021 against Detroit.

    The Steelers made a few QB changes in 2022 following Roethlisberger’s retirement, drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round and signing Mitchell Trubisky to serve as competition for the rookie. Rudolph was fired in the third set of tasks.

    Trubisky and Pickett struggled to gain any traction as the Steelers QB began the 2023 season, giving Rudolph another chance in the final three games of the season as Pittsburgh sat at 7-7.

    Rudolph led the Steelers to three straight wins and a postseason berth to end the regular season, then threw two touchdowns as a starter in Pittsburgh’s 31–17 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wild card round.

    Rudolph’s play late in the 2023 season helped raise his free agent profile, and the Titans signed the QB to a one-year deal to compete with Malik Willis for the No. 2 quarterback job in the preseason.

    Rudolph was the clearly better option in the preseason and won the job as Levis’ backup.

    Speaking to local media in the spring, Rudolph indicated that coach Brian Callahan and his system are the main reason he signed with the Titans.

    “It’s a quarterback-friendly offense,” Rudolph said on April 18. “That was obviously attractive as well. The drop-back pass and the way coach (Brian) Callahan teaches, it makes a lot of sense.”

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