Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett suffered his second concussion of the season in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Last time, he made a quick recovery and played the following week against the Miami Dolphins. Given that it's his second of the season, this time around may be different. That would force head coach Mike Tomlin to look to one of his veteran backup quarterbacks to start Week 15.
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Mitch Trubisky seems like he would be the obvious choice, given that he's started four games this year and appeared in six overall. After his three interceptions against the Ravens though, that isn't the case. Mason Rudolph could see his first action of the season, as there's a chance that Tomlin opts for No. 2 as his starter. On Tuesday, in his weekly press conference, the Steelers head coach left the door open for who the starter will be if Pickett can't go.
That was reflected in practice on Wednesday, as the two veterans split the first-team reps with Pickett in the concussion protocol. It was Rudolph's first significant amount of reps since training camp. Now in his fourth season in the league with Pittsburgh, he's been the team's third-string quarterback all year. Often times, he's been an inactive on game day. Rudolph has been honest about the struggles of not playing, but he's "ready to rock" if needed in Week 15. On Tuesday, he spoke with reporters on what he's done to stay ready, via Josh Rowntree of 93.7 The Fan:
"I don't know, it's too early to tell. No way to tell yet [if Pickett will play]. I'll know when y'all know. I've tried to stay consistent all year, whether that's with the film aspect or just doing what I can to help the two others prepare," Rudolph said via Rowntree. "Physically, I obviously don't get a lot of reps in practice, finding times to find a throw here or there."
While the Oklahoma State product hasn't lived up to his billing of a third-round draft pick, it's hard not to feel bad for him this season. He seemingly never got a fair shake in training camp, as he looked like the best quarterback at times. Still, he ended up as the third-string. He's made 10 starts in his NFL career, which certainly haven't been all that inspiring.
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Through this difficult season though, he's rode things out as a true professional. He's a free agent after the season, which means this will almost certainly be his last year in Pittsburgh. He'll get an opportunity to go somewhere else and become a primary backup, something the Steelers no longer offer with Trubisky in the fold. Trubisky still seems likely to be the starter, as he did move the ball well in Week 14 other than the three costly turnovers.
If Pickett can't play this weekend, who should start at QB: Trubisky or Rudolph? Who do you think is the better QB between the two veterans? Would you sit Pickett this week even if he's cleared due to his two concussions in 2022? Share your opinions and thoughts in the comment section below!
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