A position that’s the linchpin of a team’s success in the NFL has been a big question mark for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since Ben Roethlisberger hung up his cleats three years ago, the QB room has been a swirling vortex of entropy. Names like Russell Wilson and Kenny Pickett have all shown promise. But they’ve come and gone, leaving the QB room in chaos, looking for the next reliable leader. And heading into the ‘25 season, the QB room still remains somewhat lopsided, at least for Mason Rudolph. When the Steelers signed Mason Rudolph in March to his $8 million, two-year deal, it looked like they had a plan. Mason Rudolph was backed up by Skylar Thompson, who joined back in January. But while Rudolph had generated a playoff berth for the Steelers in his career, the elite plays required to be a franchise QB were still missing. But the Steelers were holding out for Aaron Rodgers, with the plan of developing their draft pick, Will Howard, behind him. And with the arrival of Aaron Rodgers, the writing on the wall became clearer for Rudolph than ever. He was the perpetual backup. And even insiders agree.On the Locked on Steelers podcast, Chris Carter discussed Mason Rudolph at length. As Carter put it, the Steelers have had a history of keeping guys as backups who can be “a good part of the locker room.” And for Mason Rudolph, the best plan of action is to keep being a backup for Steel City. “I think Mason Rudolph is a backup quarterback. His best years are with the Steelers as a backup quarterback. And I think he understands this.” As Carter believes, Rudolph has a good chance of making decent money without getting tackled by the opponents every week. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get another chance to play if something happens to sideline Rodgers this season. Rudolph, for one, is patiently waiting for his number to be called if that chance comes around.Dec 23, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) reacts to a call in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY SportsMason Rudolph’s best year in Steel City was back in 2019, and he’s even shown flashes of brilliance in 2023 when he helped the team get to the playoffs. But with the playoff drought continuing, Rudolph went to free agency after 6 long seasons with the Steelers. His one-year stint with the Titans last year also didn’t show any elite potential. He notably played in 5 games, throwing for 1,530 yards. But the results were 9 TDs and 9 Ints. Not exactly an elite play. So even if the Steelers brought him back, his chances as a starter were slim. As Chris Carter put it, “I don’t think the Steelers should have just said, ‘Hey Mason, this is your year.’ – once they talked to Aaron Rodgers, that was it. – I think that the Steelers have gotten the best out of Mason Rudolph.”So, for Mason Rudolph, it seems Mike Tomlin’s plan is to keep him as a backup QB. And barring injuries or other factors that could keep Aaron Rodgers from playing his level best, Rudolph will remain on the sidelines, cashing in the checks. And as for their rookie, he will get at least a whole season to watch the veterans in action and develop. With Arthur Smith’s offensive playbook and Aaron Rodgers’ guidance, the locker room has been getting quite exciting for Howard.The Will Howard-Aaron Rodgers locker room dynamicWill Howard has been the biggest fan of A-Rod for as long as he can remember. Howard idolized Rodgers growing up, and now he has the chance to watch his childhood hero in action. It’s similar to the situation back at the Giants’ QB room, where Jaxson Dart is gearing up to learn from Russell Wilson. And for the Steelers’ locker room, there’s no competition in the QB room. Aaron Rodgers came to Steel City to play. Mason Rudolph and Will Howard will remain as backups. And for Howard, there’s nothing more exciting than getting to learn from the 10x Pro Bowler.Newly signed Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers 8 dons a Steelers helmet and works out at the Steelers Mini Camp on June 10, 2025 in Pittsburgh. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY PIT2025061003 ARCHIExCARPENTERWill Howard talked about the QB room being led by Aaron Rodgers recently, and the two have clearly hit it off. “He’s been so awesome to me so far. Obviously we’ve only gotten to be together for about three days, but I got a really good feeling about him and about this whole QB room. I think we already in this past week meshed really well, hit it off.” A-Rod has been mentoring Howard whenever he can. From meeting rooms to on-field progress, Rodgers is helping with everything. Howard even noted, “He’s like, ‘Literally, as much or as little as you want me to help you, I’ll be there.’” Does this signal a future MVP in the making, taking notes from the pro?Experience is everything for a rookie learning the ropes in the NFL. While Howard understands there are a lot of things he needs to work on, he is prepared to be a sponge to absorb as much as he can. And in the process, he will also work out his own identity and play style. As the man himself said, “Obviously I can’t do the things that he can do mechanically, so I don’t want to replicate that too much because that’s pretty unique. But for the most part, everything I can learn from that guy is invaluable. So I’m like as much as you want to pour into me.” As for Rodgers entering his 21st NFL season, he has quite the exp pool to share with Will Howard. The post Mike Tomlin Has Already Lost Faith in New QB as Will Howard Confesses Locker Room Feelings, Says Steelers Insider appeared first on EssentiallySports.