Duck or Rudolph? Steelers make QB swap 2 weeks before facing Cardinals
Nov 26, 2019, 10:39 AM
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph right, walks with backup quarterback Devlin Hodges between drills during an NFL football practice, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
(AP Photo/Don Wright)
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced Tuesday that undrafted rookie Devlin “Duck” Hodges will start over second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
What that means for a Week 14 game against the Arizona Cardinals remains to be seen, but it does create uncertainty two weeks down the road.
The Cardinals face the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium this Sunday before welcoming the Steelers to Arizona on Dec. 8.
Rudolph is two weeks removed from being at the focal point of a fight between the Steelers and the Browns that led to Cleveland pass-rusher Myles Garrett being suspended.
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The 2018 third-round pick started Pittsburgh’s 16-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals this past Sunday. Rudolph went 8-of-16 for 85 yards and an interception before Hodges replaced him after one three-and-out drive to begin the second half.
From there, Hodges completed 5 of 11 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. He led drives that accounted for 13 of the Steelers’ 16 points after his team had fallen behind 7-3 with Rudolph in charge.
In three games this year, Hodges has completed 27 of 40 passes (68%) for 318 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Rudolph has appeared in nine games, completing 62% of his passes for 1,636 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine picks.
The Steelers first turned to Rudolph in Week 2 when starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a season-ending elbow injury.
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