There has been a ton of speculation about what the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback situation will look like in Week 15 when the team travels down south to take on the Carolina Panthers. Rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett entered the concussion protocol almost a week ago after taking a vicious hit against the Baltimore Ravens early in the first quarter. Backup, Mitchell Trubisky entered the contest and threw three costly interceptions which ended up being a huge reason the franchise's playoff hopes melted into almost nothing. Trubisky and third-string, Mason Rudolph split reps in practice all week and it now appears we have an answer regarding who will start in Carolina.
The #Steelers are expected to start QB Mitch Trubisky vs. the Panthers on Sunday, sources say, with coach Mike Tomlin going back to signal-caller who has served as their backup all season. Kenny Pickett (doubtful) is still in the concussion protocol.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 17, 2022
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted that the guy is expected to be Trubisky, rather than Rudolph. After a disappointing season, the veteran who was benched in favor of Pickett back in Week 4 has another chance to prove he is a reliable NFL quarterback. Rudolph, on the other hand, looks to be active for the first time this season because Pickett will probably be inactive due to the protocol. After a poor performance a week ago, however, Trubisky might have a short leash and who know what could happen on Sunday.
Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky warms up for a 2022 preseason game | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin kept it pretty hush hush on Friday regarding the situation with his signal-callers. It appears it was more so planning for Pickett to possibly be cleared rather than considering actually starting Rudolph. After all, the third-string quarterback has had virtually no reps with the first team on offense all season. It would be a lot to ask the entire unit for given the fact that Trubisky started in the pre-season and the first four games of the regular season.
In what may have been a chance for Rudolph to prove that he is worthy of a solid contract come the new year, he is unlikely to get a stab at it unless Trubisky's performance is horrible early on or an injury occurs. Fans have been calling for the longest tenured quarterback on the roster to get an opportunity, but as is always the case, Tomlin is not worried about the stamp of approval from the black and gold faithful.
Do you think Tomlin is making the right decision by starting Trubisky against the Panthers? Let us know in the comments below!
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