Two-time Super Bowl winner Charlie Batch declared that Aaron Rodgers could be watching games from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ sideline in September. Batch said that while Rodgers would improve the Steelers, he could start the season behind Mason Rudolph if he takes too long to decide on his future.
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‘Give the Edge to Mason Rudolph’ — Charlie Batch on Steelers Starting Quarterback Job
Batch spent 11 years with in Pittsburgh, winning six of nine starts as a backup to Ben Roethlisberger. During an appearance on “The Arthur Moats Experience,” the former quarterback was asked about Rodgers and what would change if he signed with Pittsburgh.
Batch noted that the four-time NFL MVP would “strengthen” the Steelers, but said the veteran might not walk straight into the starting job.
“It strengthens the group because you bring a lot more experience into that,” he began. But Batch believes that Rodgers should be wary of giving Rudolph too much of a head start with his potential new team.
According to Batch, that momentum could be critical as the offseason program unfolds and team chemistry starts to form.
“So here you are in a critical time, as OTAs are starting to begin, you’re trying to get a feel for your team. Mason Rudolph, yes, he was here, but he wasn’t in this system. So he does have a leg up as it relates to learning that offense because he’s been there for the last couple of months, making sure that he’s able to deliver, learning his teammates.
“But when you add an Aaron Rodgers, I think the longer it goes towards training camp, I think you have to give the edge to Mason Rudolph. Because that means that he knows the system a little bit better than what Aaron Rodgers looks like. We understand what his résumé looks like, but again, this is not a system that Aaron has spent the majority of his career in, that you can say is a plug-and-play type of situation.”
Batch explained that system familiarity could give Rudolph an early edge, especially if Rodgers delays any decision about joining the team.
Batch went on to suggest that with each passing session Rudolph gets with the starting receivers, Rodgers’ chances of starting the season under center fade slightly. The veteran has made it very clear that he is open to anything regarding his future, but that his priorities remain away from the football field for now.
Rodgers met with Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan at the Steelers’ facility in March and was later seen in a private throwing session with the team’s new star receiver, DK Metcalf. The team appears at ease with the situation. Rudolph has been a serviceable backup for multiple years in the NFL, but few Steelers fans would be happy with the prospect of heading into the season with him as the team’s QB1. Time will tell what Rodgers plans to do in 2025, but Rudolph remains the top option for now.