Undrafted rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges will make his first NFL start on Sunday. Amid Mason Rudolph's concussion, the Pittsburgh Steelers are starting the Samford product against the Los Angeles Chargers on “Sunday Night Football,” as Rudolph is officially ruled out.
With Hodges starting, the Steelers are elevating Paxton Lynch from the practice squad to be his backup. Pittsburgh is now on their third starting quarterback of the year, as Ben Roethlisberger is out for the season after undergoing elbow surgery.
Hodges won the Walter Payton Award last year, which recognized him as the best player in FCS football. In the same season, he broke Steve McNair's career passing yards leader. Now, he's on to bigger things, that is the starting quarterback of the Steelers. To top it off, his first NFL start will be on primetime football.
Though the Steelers are transitioning quarterbacks, tight end Nick Vannett doesn't see it.
“I don’t think it’s much of a transition at all,” said Vannett, via the team's official website. “Both guys are really on top of their stuff. When Devlin is in there, he has that voice in the huddle he is able to get everybody under control, say everything with confidence, get everybody lined up, know where the hots are and know where the line is working. All of that. Everything a quarterback needs to know in this offense, he knows. I think he has the confidence. You saw it in the game. I don’t think there is any drop off. He is stepping up and we aren’t missing a beat.”
Hodges stepped in for Rudolph in last week's 26-23 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He went 7 for 9 for 68 yards in the process.
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