Mason Rudolph has two eyes. He can see the highlights and read all of the praise the other quarterbacks in his draft class are getting.
As you can imagine, it bothers him.
"Yeah, it is," Rudolph admitted to me this week. "I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wanted to play. Obviously, I know my role on this team, but I try to practice like it’s a game and be really competitive with every rep I get. Every special teams period, I throw some balls with our guys. I just want to get some throws in. Throws are scarce. But I think it’s a great period for me to learn and soak things in and go through the playbook and kind of refresh yourself."
Rudolph was the sixth quarterback selected in this year's draft. He's seen four of the others -- Cleveland's Baker Mayfield, the Jets' Sam Darnold, Arizona's Josh Rosen and Buffalo's Josh Allen -- all starting games. Even Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, while he isn't starting, is getting reps as a Wildcat quarterback.
Rudolph, meanwhile, has yet to be active for a game this season. Even though he was a third-round draft pick while the others all went in the first round, it's a blow to the ego for a player who hasn't had to sit and watch like this since his freshman year in college.
"I didn’t play until my last three games that year. It’s a similar feel for sure," he told me. "You’re staying in it, trying to prepare like you’re the starter, trying to help the starter, help the room, and keep your football IQ up and keep learning, do whatever you can to sharpen your tools."
That has meant six weeks of largely running the offense of opposing teams off a flip card shown to the scout team moments before the next play is run.
It's been a tough thing to swallow while seeing so many of the members of his draft class get actual playing time, especially after Rudolph got a lot of snaps in the preseason and work throughout the offseason.
But with second-year pro Josh Dobbs winning the backup role to Ben Roethlisberger this season, the Steelers have had to give him plenty of reps running the offense just in case something happens and Dobbs is forced into the lineup. Roethlisberger hasn't practiced on a Wednesday yet this season, but those days have largely been devoted to Dobbs.
That's why the two days the Steelers spent this week allowing both Dobbs and Rudolph to run the Steelers offense were so beneficial. Most of the veteran players don't do anything during the bye week other than rest. But the young players and backups spent the week getting all the reps.
"They're not getting game reps, but there's still pressure on them," offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said of his two young quarterbacks. "They're still out there competing. We've made that very clear that we want to develop both guys."
But it's difficult to show development when you're running the offense of Atlanta or Tampa Bay, two of the Steelers' early opponents.
"But it’s fun. It’s a chance to compete," Rudolph said. "Sometimes, based on who you’re playing, the offenses can be some of the same stuff. Cleveland is pretty identical to us. It’s fun to go out there and try to torch the defense and talk a little smack to them."
Besides, there are other ways to show growth. Much like Dobbs did a year ago, Rudolph is trying to soak in as much of the game plan each week to stay engaged.
After all, Rudolph is still just 23 years old. With quarterbacks playing well into their late 30s now, even though he's not playing now like some of the other guys from his draft class, he could still have 15 years ahead of him in the NFL.
"I’ve got time," he told me. "I make sure I know the game plan each week and I try to help however I can with Ben and with Randy. I want to make sure I raise my football IQ. Coach (Mike) Tomlin has been great and the offensive coaches have been great just kind of moving me along in my development and giving me time. It’s tough giving the third-string quarterback time during the week. They’ve been great."
MORE STEELERS
• The Steelers are fed up with Vontaze Burfict's antics. One veteran player told me this week -- off the record -- if the league doesn't do something serious about Burfict and his cheap shots, it is telling the Steelers they have to take matters into their own hands. He even suggested it could turn into a brawl on the field. Many of Burfict's long history of hits since coming into the NFL have come against the Steelers, as this video tweeted by SI.com's Robert Klemko shows:
Time to start talking about a long-term ban for Vontaze Burfict. pic.twitter.com/qH7WuAo3TI
— Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko) October 16, 2018
• Le'Veon Bell didn't show up during the Steelers' bye week because he wasn't going to get paid. Whether that came via his agent contacting the team or the team contacting his agent to let him know that, the point was made -- the Steelers weren't going to pay him for the bye week, which was their right. Does that poison the well even further and mean Bell doesn't show up early next week? Only Bell truly knows. -- Lolley
• The struggles of Artie Burns are all above the neck. His strength coming out of school was as a man cover corner. But the Steelers are more of a zone coverage and that's where Burns struggles. He just doesn't seem to always understand what it is the zone is trying to accomplish. He's now on his second secondary coach and still making mistakes. Take from that what you will. -- Lolley
• The Patrick Peterson trade rumors are just that -- rumors. And they were killed by Arizona owner Michael Bidwell Thursday when he said Peterson isn't on the market. But it wasn't going to happen with the Steelers, anyway. The Steelers would have to give up first and fourth -- or higher -- draft picks to acquire Peterson and haven't been a team that has given that kind of draft capital for players since the 1960s. At that time, the Steelers would regularly trade picks for veteran players or draft picks, mortgaging their future. And it led to a decade of sub-.500 records. It probably reached it's pinnacle in 1964 when the Steelers sent their 1965 first-round pick, which ended up being third overall to Chicago. The Steelers got a second-round pick, taking Jim Kelly -- no, not that one -- and fourth-round selection, with which they selected Ben McGee. The Bears took Dick Butkus third overall the next season. Kelly, a tight end, lasted one season in Pittsburgh, while McGee, a defensive end, played nine seasons in Pittsburgh and made two Pro Bowls. But he was no Butkus. The Steelers -- actually Dan Rooney -- decided at that time the Steelers would no longer trade first-round picks unless they were getting one in return. -- Lolley
PENGUINS
• It's all in Olli Maatta's head. That is the consensus as to why the defenseman has struggled early this season. He has already found a seat in the press box -- game No. 3 against the Golden Knights -- after playing in all 82 games last season. Maatta has looked slow and indecisive with and without the puck. According to Jacques Martin, Maatta needs to simplify things and take what is given. Martin was complimentary toward Maatta's vision and ability to make a strong first pass. However, he needs to be tougher to play against. The Penguins are looking for Maatta to play with more of an edge and to defend harder. -- Chris Bradford
• Derek Grant has taken line rushes on the fourth line in practice, alternating reps with Daniel Sprong. The only thing Grant has yet to do is play in an actual game with his new team. For the sixth straight game he was a healthy scratch Thursday night in Toronto. But he is a strong possibility to play at some point during this four-game road trip through Canada. Before his team's impressive win over the Maple Leafs, Sullivan said on Wednesday that Grant was a consideration if the Penguins continue to sputter. Last week, Grant was sent down to Wilkes-Barre after clearing waivers while Matt Murray was out and Tristan Jarry was recalled. Grant even scored a goal in his one game with WB-S. At some point, though, the Penguins would like to to get him in the lineup. Next Saturday's game at Vancouver would seem an ideal spot for the Abbotsford, B.C. native. -- Bradford
• Cool moment here at Scotiabank Arena last night, about a half-hour before faceoff: Jim Rutherford, always visibly wound up before and after every game, was walking up and down the Maple Leafs' magnificent line of black-and-white photos and reading the bios underneath. The man respects hockey history as much as any exec I've known. -- DK in Toronto
• Most hockey teams play a game of two-touch or another kind of soccer-related game before warmups. This season, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has been playing Spikeball (as seen on "Shark Tank"), a fast-paced game that involves players standing around a circular net and bouncing a small ball off of it. Anthony Angello spoke on the new routine this week. "It's great, it's fun," Angello said. "It keeps your body warm and keeps smiles on faces. You get your heart rate up, a little sweat, hand-eye coordination, footwork, coordination with your teammate, and obviously the competitiveness that all hockey players have." -- Taylor Haase
• Early impressions of new Nailers head coach Mike Bavis are great, from what I've heard from both players and team staff. Bavis is focused on building chemistry and having a tight team culture, and seems much more excited about working with Pittsburgh's coaches than his predecessor was. It's a welcome change in Wheeling to have a coach whom the players actually like. -- Haase
PIRATES
• Neither David Freese nor Neil Walker are interested in returning to the Pirates. I point this out because a number of readers have expressed an interest in both players returning. After all, Freese and Walker could fill the Pirates' needs. However, neither wants to return with this current management in place. -- Lance Lysowski
• Speaking of Freese, he's unlikely to get the $6 million the Pirates would have paid him with his club option for 2019, but there will be significant interest in his services this winter. I'm told his preference is to play for a legitimate contender now that he's again experienced postseason baseball. -- Lysowski
• The Pirates will interview Andy Barkett, the Red Sox's assistant hitting coach, for the hitting coach vacancy on Clint Hurdle's staff. Barkett managed Triple-A Indianapolis in 2017 and was the Pirates' assistant minor league hitting coordinator two seasons ago. Several players I spoke to who played under Barkett expressed frustration over the club allowing him to part last offseason. -- Lysowski
PITT
• The Panthers held closed practices Wednesday and Thursday during their off week, so there was no media activity allowed on that side of the Rooney Complex. As for the coaches, they were back out on the recruiting trail during these days designated as “evaluation periods,” where they can make one visit to each prospect’s school from September to late November. Linebackers coach Rob Harley was out in Florida earlier in the week, while tight ends coach Tim Salem was at Ventura College in California, likely to meet with Travis Koontz, the JUCO tight end who reopened his recruitment this month after earlier giving a verbal pledge to the Panthers. — Matt Grubba
• With the Pitt volleyball team flying high at 20-0, the chance of hosting the NCAA tournament is looking better and better for the Panthers. However, it’s not just about giving the best teams home court; schools still have to bid to host. I was told Pitt submitted its bid before last week’s deadline to host NCAA matches, and it’s likely it will do so if it is among the top 16 seeded teams. However, if Pitt is to run the table, hosting a regional is no lock, as Fitzgerald Field House will be weighed against the other venues in the running, in addition to the team’s credentials. — Grubba
HOUNDS
• With the playoffs here, I had to ask Bob Lilley how much thought he has put into the potential of a match going the full 120 minutes and to penalty kicks. He told me he has an idea in his head, but the coaching staff will decide on a top five (or six or seven, depending who is in the game) to take part in a potential shootout before Saturday’s game. Don’t confuse preparation with playing things conservatively, however. “Everyone we've tried has missed one this year. ... I’m not trying to play for penalty kicks. Even if we got to extra time, I’m telling our guys to get forward and win it now,” Lilley said. — Grubba
