Honestly, if you just glance at the back of a football card, Mason Rudolph looks like your typical journeyman. A few starts here, a lot of clipboard holding there, and a stat line that doesn't exactly scream "future Hall of Famer." But football isn't played on a spreadsheet. When you actually dig into mason rudolph career stats, you start to see a weirdly resilient career that’s survived more drama than a primetime soap opera.
He’s been the "next guy" in Pittsburgh, the scapegoat during the Myles Garrett helmet incident, and the veteran stabilizer in Nashville. Through it all, the numbers have fluctuated wildly. One week he's breaking franchise records for completion percentage, and the next he's fighting for a roster spot.
The Early Years: Pittsburgh’s Heir Apparent?
Coming out of Oklahoma State, Rudolph was a statistical monster. We’re talking 13,618 passing yards and 92 touchdowns in college. That's elite. When the Steelers grabbed him in the third round of the 2018 draft, Kevin Colbert basically said they had a first-round grade on him.
He didn't see the field as a rookie. Not a single snap.
Then 2019 happened. Ben Roethlisberger went down with an elbow injury, and suddenly Mason was the guy. That season is where the bulk of his early mason rudolph career stats come from. He played 10 games, started eight, and put up 1,765 yards with 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. It wasn't perfect. He went 5-3 as a starter, which is actually decent for a kid thrown into the fire, but the offense felt stagnant at times.
That was also the year of the infamous Browns game. You know the one. It overshadowed the fact that he was actually keeping a shaky Steelers team in the playoff hunt.
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Breaking Down the Tennessee Pivot and the 2024 Surge
After years of being the backup to the backup in Pittsburgh, Rudolph landed in Tennessee for the 2024 season. This was supposed to be a "veteran presence" role behind Will Levis. But the NFL is a chaotic place.
Levis struggled with turnovers—four in one game against the Colts—and the Titans turned to Rudolph. In 2024, Mason appeared in 8 games, starting 5 of them. He threw for 1,530 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. He also showed a surprising willingness to run, picking up 106 yards on the ground and his first career rushing touchdown.
It's funny. His passer rating that year was 80.1, which doesn't look great, but he provided a stability that the Titans desperately needed at the time. He finished that stint with a 64% completion rate, proving he could still move the chains even if he wasn't lighting up the scoreboard every night.
Return to the Steel City: The 2025 Campaign
In a move that surprised basically everyone, Rudolph headed back to Pittsburgh for the 2025 season on a two-year, $8 million deal. People wondered why. Why go back to the place that benched you? Well, the Steelers needed a reliable arm behind an aging Aaron Rodgers (who they had acquired in a blockbuster trade).
When Rodgers missed time in late 2025, Rudolph stepped in again. His 2025 stats are a small sample size but efficient:
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- Games Played: 5
- Passing Yards: 310
- Touchdowns: 2
- Interceptions: 2
- Completion Percentage: 73.1%
That completion percentage is the kicker. Throughout his career, when Mason is "on," he’s incredibly accurate. He actually holds the Steelers' franchise record for completion percentage in a single game (90% on 18-of-20 passing against Baltimore in 2023).
Mason Rudolph Career Stats: The Big Picture (As of 2026)
If you look at his total NFL body of work across 34 games and 19 starts, the totals are more respectable than the critics admit:
- Passing Yards: 4,925
- TD-INT Ratio: 30–22
- Career Passer Rating: 84.7
- Record as a Starter: 9-9-1
It’s the definition of a "fringe" starter or high-end backup. He’s 30 years old now. He’s 6'5", 235 pounds, and he’s seen every defensive look the league can throw at him. He isn't going to win you a Super Bowl on his own, but he's also not going to lose you the locker room.
What the Analysts Miss
Most people fixate on the 2019 season. That's a mistake. The Mason Rudolph of 2026 is a completely different player than the one who got hit with his own helmet. He’s much better at navigating the pocket now. In 2023 and 2024, his "Adjusted Yards per Attempt" (AY/A) actually saw a spike, indicating he was taking smarter shots downfield rather than just checking it down to a running back.
His 2023 stint was particularly eye-opening. He had a 118.0 passer rating over four games. If he had played the whole season at that level, he’d be a Pro Bowler. Obviously, he didn't, but it showed that under the right play-calling (shoutout to the post-Matt Canada era), Mason can actually be quite explosive.
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Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season
The Steelers are in a weird spot. Mike Tomlin has stepped down, and the team is looking at a rebuild or a retool with the 21st pick in the upcoming draft. Rudolph is under contract through the end of the 2026 season.
There’s a real chance he enters training camp this year as the "bridge" starter. With young guys like Will Howard in the room, the Steelers might rely on Rudolph’s veteran knowledge to keep the ship afloat while they develop the next franchise QB.
If you're looking for a takeaway, it's this: Mason Rudolph is the ultimate "safety net" quarterback. His career stats reflect a player who has been used as an emergency break more often than a primary engine. But 4,925 yards and 30 touchdowns in the NFL is something 99% of quarterbacks never achieve.
Next Steps for Tracking His Progress:
- Watch the Preseason Depth Chart: Keep an eye on the 2026 training camp battles in Pittsburgh. If the Steelers don't draft a QB in the first round, Rudolph is the de facto leader for the QB1 spot.
- Monitor the "Efficiency" Metrics: Don't just look at yards. Watch his completion percentage and sack rate. As he’s aged, he’s become much better at avoiding the "negative" plays that plagued his early career.
- Fantasy Football Value: In 2QB or Superflex leagues, Rudolph is a premium "handball" or "stash" player. If the starter goes down, Mason has proven he can put up 250+ yards and 2 TDs in a single afternoon.