Mason Rudolph Bio
Brett Mason Rudolph III (born July 17, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, where he won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and led the NCAA in passing yards during his senior season. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft with the 76th overall pick. After spending his first six seasons with the Steelers, he played for the Tennessee Titans in 2024 before returning to Pittsburgh in 2025 on a two-year contract.
Early Life and Background
Rudolph was born in Rock Hill, South Carolina, to parents Brett and Jamie Rudolph. He was named after his father and grandfather and is not related to the former golfer Mason Rudolph. He attended Westminster Catawba Christian School before transferring to Northwestern High School in Rock Hill.
During his high school career, Rudolph passed for 10,986 yards and 132 touchdowns. As a senior, he accounted for 80 total touchdowns and threw for 4,400 yards while leading the Trojans to a 15-0 record, a 4A State Championship, and a number seven national ranking. Rudolph played in the Annual Shrine Bowl All-Star game and was named the offensive MVP after leading South Carolina on a game-winning drive in the final 20 seconds. He was a finalist for South Carolina’s Mr. Football award and was rated by Rivals.com as a four-star recruit, ranked as the ninth-best pro-style quarterback in his class.
Path to the NFL
Rudolph committed to Oklahoma State University to play college football. He entered his true freshman season in 2014 as a third string behind J.W. Walsh and Daxx Garman. After both players suffered injuries, Rudolph made his first career start against the Baylor Bears, completing 13 of 25 passes for 281 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He remained the starter for the final two games, including the 2015 Cactus Bowl victory against the Washington Huskies. In three games during the 2014 season, Rudolph completed 49 of 86 passes for 853 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Rudolph was named the starter for the 2015 season, a role he held for the remainder of his college career. In 2017, his senior season, Rudolph led the NCAA with 4,904 passing yards. He received the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the country’s outstanding senior college quarterback. He also won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, was named second-team All-Big 12, and earned Camping World Bowl MVP honors. Rudolph finished his college career with 41 starts, 13,618 passing yards, 92 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions.
Mason Rudolph Career
Pittsburgh Steelers (First Stint, 2018–2023)
The Steelers selected Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, trading their third-round and seventh-round picks to the Seattle Seahawks to move up three spots. He signed a four-year, $3.92 million contract on May 23, 2018. During training camp, Rudolph competed against Landry Jones and Joshua Dobbs for the backup spot behind Ben Roethlisberger. Head coach Mike Tomlin named Rudolph the third quarterback to begin his rookie season.
During Week 2 of the 2019 season, Rudolph made his NFL debut after relieving an injured Roethlisberger in the second half against the Seattle Seahawks. He finished the 28-26 loss with 112 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. When Roethlisberger was ruled out for the rest of the season due to elbow surgery, Rudolph became the starting quarterback. He made his first NFL start the following week against the San Francisco 49ers, throwing for 174 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the 24-20 loss.
Tennessee Titans (2024)
On March 15, 2024, Rudolph signed a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. He made his Titans debut in Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. He replaced an injured Will Levis in the first half and led the Titans on seven scoring drives, securing their first win of the season with a 31-12 victory. Rudolph started five games during the season and appeared in eight games total. He finished the 2024 season with 1,450 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions to go along with 25 carries for 106 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Pittsburgh Steelers (Second Stint, 2025–Present)
On March 13, 2025, Rudolph re-signed with the Steelers on a two-year, $8 million deal. During Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rodgers suffered a wrist injury and Rudolph entered the game in the second half. He finished the 34-12 victory completing 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. Due to Rodgers’ injury, Rudolph started the following week against the Chicago Bears, completing 24 of 31 passes for 171 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the 31-28 road loss.
Rudolph finished the 2025 season with 310 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in five games and one start. The Steelers finished the regular season 10-7 and earned the number four seed in the AFC playoffs. During the Wild Card Round against the Houston Texans, Rudolph relieved Rodgers at the end of the 30-6 loss and completed his lone pass attempt for two yards.
Playing Style and Strengths
Rudolph is known for his size at 6 feet 5 inches and 235 pounds, which allows him to see over the offensive line and make throws in tight windows. He demonstrated the ability to manage games effectively during his stretches as a starter, particularly in the 2023 season when he led the Steelers to three consecutive wins to close the regular season. Rudolph set a franchise record for completion percentage in his final regular-season start of that year.
Notable Events and Milestones
Rudolph’s 2019 season was marked by significant events. During a Week 5 game against the Baltimore Ravens, he suffered a concussion after being hit by safety Earl Thomas and was temporarily knocked unconscious. Later that season, he was involved in an altercation with Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett during a Thursday Night Football game. Rudolph was fined $50,000 by the league for his role in the incident. In the 2023 season, Rudolph led the Steelers to the playoffs as the starting quarterback, starting the Wild Card Round against the Buffalo Bills and completing 22 of 39 passes for 229 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the 31-17 loss.
Mason Rudolph Career Statistics
Rudolph has appeared in 30 NFL games across seven seasons with the Steelers and Titans, with 15 starts. He has demonstrated consistent accuracy throughout his professional career, posting a career completion percentage over 64 percent.
NFL Career Highlights
Through the 2025 season, Rudolph has completed 475 of 738 pass attempts for 4,925 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions, with a career passer rating of 84.7. His most productive season came in 2019 when he started eight games and threw for 1,765 yards and 13 touchdowns. He set a Steelers franchise record for completion percentage in a single game during the 2023 regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens, completing 18 of 20 passes (90 percent) for 152 yards and a touchdown.
College Career Statistics
Rudolph started 41 games at Oklahoma State from 2014 to 2017. He completed 1,026 of 1,560 passes for 13,618 yards, 92 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions. His senior season in 2017 saw him lead the nation with 4,904 passing yards while throwing for 37 touchdowns.
| Competition | Games | Starts | Passing Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Completion % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL Career | 30 | 15 | 4,925 | 30 | 22 | 64.4 |
| College (Oklahoma State) | 41 | 41 | 13,618 | 92 | 26 | 65.8 |
Mason Rudolph Family
Family Background
Rudolph is the son of Brett and Jamie Rudolph. He grew up as family friends with basketball player Luke Maye and quarterback Drake Maye. Their fathers played college football together at North Carolina in the 1980s. Rudolph is a Christian.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Rudolph’s return to Pittsburgh after one season with the Titans. He signed a two-year, $8 million contract in March 2025 and served as the backup quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers. Rudolph saw his first action of the season in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks when he relieved Rodgers late in the game.
His most significant contribution came in Week 11 when Rodgers suffered a wrist injury against the Cincinnati Bengals. Rudolph entered the game and completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in the 34-12 victory. He started the following week against the Chicago Bears due to Rodgers’ injury, completing 24 of 31 passes for 171 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the 31-28 loss.
The Steelers finished the 2025 season with a 10-7 record and earned the number four seed in the AFC playoffs. Rudolph appeared in five games with one start, throwing for 310 yards and two touchdowns. The team qualified for the postseason, where Rudolph saw limited action in the Wild Card Round loss to the Houston Texans.