Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph had quite a night on Saturday versus the Cincinnati Bengals, as he put together a performance that might have just boosted his chances of securing an NFL contract in the offseason. Playing on a one-year deal with Pittsburgh, Rudolph stepped up in Week 16 and provided the fireworks from under center to lead his team to a 34-11 home win over their AFC North division rivals.

After the game, Rudolph got candid about his thoughts on his future in the NFL prior to the meeting with the Bengals (h/t Mike DeFabo of The Athletic).

Mason Rudolph said he “absolutely” considered if this would be his last chance in the NFL: “You’re kind of thinking, am I going to jump in the commercial real estate realm next year or am I going to be playing quarterback?” lolol

Mason Rudolph puts on show in Steelers vs Bengals

Mason Rudolph, Mike Tomlin, Steelers, Bengals, Mitchell Trubisky

Rudolph, who was called upon to start for the Steelers at the quarterback position over Mitchell Trubisky and amid Kenny Pickett's injury, balled out versus the Bengals, passing for 290 yards and zero touchdowns on 17/27 completions. He also took just a sack and showed incredible chemistry with wide receiver George Pickens, who finished the contest with 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns on four catches and six targets.

Although Pickett is trending toward a return to action in Week 17 when the Steelers take on the Seattle Seahawks on the road, it's comforting for Pittsburgh to see Rudolph show off with a great performance to inject confidence and security into their quarterback room.