With Aaron Rodgers unable to play in Week 12 due to his wrist fracture, the Pittsburgh Steelers turned to Mason Rudolph. But his opportunity didn't come with the start the Steelers were hoping for.
On his first pass of the game, Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright came away with an insane interception. Chicago would then go on to score the first touchdown of the game.
Nahshon Wright with a WILD interception on Mason Rudolph’s first throw of the game 🤯
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 23, 2025
While it may have been a rough start, Rudolph and the Steelers were able to find their footing after the opening pick. On their next drive, Pittsburgh took nearly eight minutes off the clock on a 13-play, 95 yard drive. It was capped off on a six-yard touchdown pass from Rudolph to Metcalf.
The quarterback's play will be under a microscope for all of Week 12 and however long he fills in for Rodgers. With the veteran pushing to play, perhaps he is not too far off from a return. Still, at 6-4, Pittsburgh knows every game is crucial on their postseason push. Their offense cannot afford a massive drop off even with the quarterback change.
Rudolph does have 18 games of starting experience heading into Week 12, holding a career 9-8-1 record. Over his 32 total game games, the quarterback has completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 4,754 yards, 29 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
How the backup quarterback handles his audition will be telling for the remainder of his NFL career. The Steelers are certainly hoping Rodgers makes his return sooner rather than later. But if Rudolph bounces back well from his early interception, perhaps they take a more cautious approach with their starter.
