Steelers' Mason Rudolph Makes No Apologies For His First Interception: "I Will Do That Every Time"

The Pittsburgh Steelers headed to Soldier Field for a Week 12 contest against the Chicago Bears. The Steelers entered the matchup as slight underdogs but managed to hold a lead going into halftime, showing early poise despite difficult circumstances. However, the momentum shifted in the second half, and the Bears surged back to claim a 31–28 victory. It was a tough loss for a Steelers team that fought hard but couldn’t close the door on the road.

With starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers unable to play, backup Mason Rudolph stepped in to lead the offense. Rudolph delivered a steady performance, completing 77 percent of his passes for 171 yards with one touchdown and one interception. 

His very first attempt of the afternoon was a deep shot to wide receiver DK Metcalf, an aggressive decision meant to set the tone early. Instead, the pass was intercepted in spectacular fashion by Bears defensive back Nahshon Wright, who made an acrobatic play to steal the ball and ignite the Chicago crowd.

After the game, Rudolph spoke with several members of the Pittsburgh media and faced questions about that early interception. Rather than second-guessing himself, Rudolph made it clear that he had no regrets about taking the shot downfield. He emphasized that the look he saw pre-snap gave him confidence in the decision, and although the result didn’t go his way, he stood by the throw. 

"Yeah, well, I think I was just trying to give DK a 50/50 shot to start the game," Rudolph said while speaking with the Pittsburgh media after the 31-28 loss to the Bears on Sunday. "I will do that every time I get the opportunity because he is just such a great player and he does come down with a lot of those."

It was an unfortunate way to start the game for Rudolph and the Steelers’ offense. Metcalf was traded to Pittsburgh in the 2025 offseason, and he is being paid as one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. 

Rudolph believed he had the right look on the play, but Wright simply made the better play. Rudolph then continued by discussing his fumble.

"On the play action in the boundary on the sack fumble, they just did a good job of peeling off that left tackle to go rob that checkdown which I was about to throw," Rudolph said. "I saw that and kinda recocked it and that's when I got him. They covered the play well but I just have to do a better job of protecting the ball."

The Steelers offense could have performed better, and the defense had its struggles as well. While there were some exciting plays, the game was largely messy and inconsistent, highlighting areas that need improvement moving forward.

Steelers Have Lost Their Grip On The AFC North

With the loss, the Steelers fall to 6-5 on the 2025 season. Their performance on both sides of the ball makes it clear that adjustments are needed if they want to stay competitive in the AFC North.

Losing their lead in the division adds pressure as the season moves forward. The Steelers will need to regroup, tighten up mistakes, and find more consistency to get back on track in the race for the playoffs.

Steeler Nation, considering everything Mason Rudolph faced on Sunday in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears, including the circumstances surrounding his unexpected role and the challenges he encountered throughout the game, what overall grade would you give him for his performance? 

Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me. I will respond!

#SteelerNation