Steelers news: Tommy Maddox says Ben Roethlisberger will treat rookie Mason Rudolph 'with respect'

The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to draft a rookie quarterback in Mason Rudolph, and that's not sitting well with Ben Roethlisberger, but Tommy Maddox, who mentored Big Ben, believes the team's starter will show respect to the first-year player.

The Pittsburgh Steelers made it clear that they're looking to the future when it comes to the quarterback position. Despite Ben Roethlisberger's intent to play as much as five more seasons, the team decided to select Mason Rudolph in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Unfortunately, this move didn't exactly rub Roethlisberger the right way nor was he inclined to take the professional route when addressing the team's decision to bring in a young quarterback. The two-time Super Bowl champion hasn't exactly been welcoming when it comes to Rudolph, but Tommy Maddox, who was the starter in Pittsburgh while he was a rookie, believes the veteran will respect the first-year quarterback, via ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

“I think Ben will treat him with respect,” Maddox told ESPN from his classroom at Decatur (Texas) High School, where he serves as the head baseball coach and is preparing for the playoffs. “His No. 1 goal is to get ready to play and help the team be successful.”

Maddox also addressed the talk of some saying Roethlisberger must mentor Rudolph. The former Steelers quarterback doesn't exactly see it that way, via Fowler.

“I've heard a lot of people say he owes it. That kind of gets into a little bit of a slippery slope. His job is to win football games right now. But, with that said, I think everybody in the locker room, the more it gets along, the better this team is going to be.”

After all the uncertainty about Roethlisberger wanting to continue playing over that last couples of years, it comes as no surprise the team would address the future of the position at some point very soon. Drafting Rudolph isn't surprising, but like any longtime starter, Roethlisberger sees it as a threat and not addressing what needs to be upgraded immediately in order to contend right away.

It'll be interesting to see how the dynamic between the two quarterbacks pans out next season or if Roethlisberger either gets hurt or struggles in the 2018 campaign. One thing is for sure, this potential distraction isn't going away anytime soon.