Ben Roethlisberger has indicated that he is not pleased with the Pittsburgh Steelers drafting former Oklahoma State star Mason Rudolph in the third round, and the rookie is handling the comments like a polished veteran.
Roethlisberger said last week that he doesn’t understand why the Steelers drafted a quarterback in the third round, and he implied that he has no interest in playing the role of mentor. Rudolph told NFL Network he would probably react the same way if roles were reversed.
“If I was Ben, I’d probably say the same thing,” Rudolph said, as transcribed by Sean Wagner-McGough of CBSSports.com. “He’s a competitor. Obviously, he has a lot of confidence in himself, like I do. Yeah, he’s going to be a future Hall of Famer and I would expect him to say that.
“So I’m just looking forward to going in there and learning the system, competing, raising my level of play, preparing like I’m the starter even though obviously I won’t be the starter. And just waiting and being prepared for whenever I get my time whenever my time comes, to be ready and take advantage of it.”
Rudolph isn’t going to get anywhere in Pittsburgh by badmouthing Roethlisberger, and he even said after he was drafted that it is “not Ben’s job to teach me anything.” Despite Roethlisberger hinting that he believes the Steelers wasted a draft pick, Rudolph continues to show poise.
Roethlisberger says he is now planning to play as many as five more seasons, which is interesting considering he has openly contemplated retirement in the past. Perhaps the Steelers using an early pick on a QB has helped him rediscover his love for the game.
