The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback saga is spinning faster than a Terrible Towel in a December gust. Since Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steel City’s search for a signal-caller has felt like a scratch-off ticket—full of hope but rarely a jackpot. From Mitch Trubisky’s misfires to Kenny Pickett’s growing pains, the post-Ben era has been a rollercoaster steeper than the Duquesne Incline. Now, as Mike Tomlin eyes a 2025 fix, an unlikely voice has entered the chat: Roethlisberger himself, tossing a bombshell hotter than a Primanti capicola stack.

On April 2, the two-time Super Bowl champ shifted the narrative during his Footbahlin podcast. With Aaron Rodgers’ free agency looming, Roethlisberger threw his weight behind Mason Rudolph—the same QB he once eyed like a rookie stealing his parking spot. “Mason can throw the ball. That’s never been a question,” Roethlisberger declared. “He can make decisions and get the ball out of his hand. He’s not afraid to take shots down the field, either.” Cue the record scratch in Pittsburgh.

Roethlisberger’s endorsement is the NFL equivalent of a plot twist in The Usual Suspects. Drafted in 2018 as Ben’s heir, Rudolph initially drew a frostier reception than a Cleveland fan in the Dawg Pound. “I had more of an issue with the pick,” Roethlisberger admitted in 2023. Fast-forward to today: Big Ben’s praising Rudolph’s “decisions” and “deep-ball courage,” especially with George Pickens and DK Metcalf stretching defenses like a Black and Gold rubber band. Tomlin, meanwhile, is doubling down.

“We’re excited about having Mason Rudolph back,” he said at the NFL owner’s meetings. “Our knowledge of him not only as a player but as a man. It’s exciting to have him back, and I know he’s excited to be back.” Hence Rudolph’s no seat-warmer. After a rocky 2024 in Tennessee (1-4 record, 9 TDs, 9 INTs), the 29-year-old returns to Pittsburgh—where he once rallied a 7-7 squad to a 2023 playoff berth. Still, doubters linger like a stale Iron City scent. Why trust a guy Tomlin once let walk?

If Rodgers skips Pittsburgh, Rudolph’s the Plan B—a gamble as bold as a flea-flicker on 4th-and-goal. But Roethlisberger’s backing adds intrigue. “He’ll sit in there, and he’ll throw it down the field,” Ben emphasized, nodding to Rudolph’s 2023 resurgence (74.3% completion, 10.5 yards/attempt in three clutch wins). For a QB once labeled “skittish,” it’s a Lazarus moment. But Tomlin’s faith isn’t blind.

He’s banking on Rudolph’s locker-room grit—traits as vital in football as a cold brew at Heinz Field. Yet critics, like Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, remain skeptical: “If he was what you thought he was, why did you let him go in the first place?” The answer? Pittsburgh’s QB calculus hinges on Aaron Rodgers’s call. If he bolts, Rudolph inherits a huddle craving stability—and a shot to silence the ghosts of Steelers past.

Ben’s comeback teaser and legacy

Ben Roethlisberger’s Instagram post in March 2025 sent Steelers fans into a frenzy, with the retired QB jokingly teasing a comeback after Pittsburgh traded for DK Metcalf. Wearing his old helmet, he quipped, “I might still have a couple throws in me!” Though playful, the video reignited nostalgia for the two-time Super Bowl champ’s clutch grit—and questions about his lingering “what if?” itch.

But Roethlisberger quickly slammed the door shut. On The Pat McAfee Show, he admitted, “I don’t think I got it anymore,” citing a backyard toss session with his sons as proof. His self-aware exit contrasts sharply with his peers chasing eternal glory. For Steelers fans, the tease was fun, but reality bites: Pittsburgh’s future lies with Rudolph—not revisiting the past.

Roethlisberger’s role here is richer than a Butterfinger BB. Once the alpha refusing to groom successors, he’s now championing Rudolph like a proud Pop Warner dad. “He can make decisions,” Ben Roethlisberger insists—a far cry from their chilly 2018 dynamic. Maybe retirement softened him. Or perhaps he’s tossing a lifeline to a franchise he bled for. Either way, it’s a subplot Terry Bradshaw himself would’ve savored.

Tomlin’s gamble mirrors Chuck Noll’s 1974 bet on a rookie named Lambert—grit over glamour. But in today’s QB-obsessed NFL, patience is thinner than a kicker’s margin for error. Can Rudolph repay that faith? Or will Pittsburgh’s search drag on like a halftime show in a blowout?

As the late Myron Cope, voice of the Steelers, once barked, “Yoi! And double yoi!”—because in Pittsburgh, drama’s best served with a side of hope. So, Steeler Nation, is Rudolph the answer or just another question in a jersey?