NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo reveals there was another team that was interested in Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph .
The Pittsburgh Steelers reunited with quarterback Mason Rudolph last week as they are stuck waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make a decision on where he wants to play in 2025. It turns out they weren't the only ones interested in Rudolph, either.
According to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, the New York Giants were also interested in potentially signing Rudolph before he landed back in Pittsburgh.
"Last week Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson paid their visits to the New York Giants," Garafolo said . "They were also going to have a zoom with Mason Rudolph, but then he decided to go to the Steelers. So they're going through all these veteran options."
The Steelers and Giants are in very similar situations. Both teams are weighing their options in the scenario that Rodgers doesn't choose them. It seems Pittsburgh won round one in the recruitment for Rudolph.
However, Rodgers is the bigger prize. The 41-year-old is viewed by most as the best quarterback available as he proved to still be a serviceable player in 2024, passing for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton chases New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Oct. 20, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Only time will tell when Rodgers will make his decision, but Garafolo thinks it could still be a little bit longer.
"Nobody really knows how long this is going to take," Garafolo said. "He's sort of probably enjoying the fact that we're talking about him day in and day out, wondering when he is going to make his decision."
Either way, the Steelers now have some quarterback insurance thanks to Rudolph. A reunion made sense given the two sides' familiarity with one another.
Rudolph, 29, was selected with the No. 76 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He spent the first six years of his career in Pittsburgh.
In six seasons with the Steelers, Rudolph completed 63.5% of his passes for 3,085 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 23, 2023. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
His most extensive playing time came in 2019, when he was the backup to Ben Roethlisberger and was thrust into the starting role when Roethlisberger was lost for the season due to an elbow injury in the first half of Week 2.
Rudolph started eight games and completed 176 of 283 passes (62.2%) for 1,765 yards (6.2 yards per attempt), 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
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