In his weekly press conference earlier today, Steelers head coach changed his tune on quarterback Mason Rudolph, saying that he will get the start on Saturday at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.

After their 21-18 loss to the New England Patriots, Tomlin staunchly denied any chance that Rudolph could get the nod, saying he would not open up competition at the quarterback position ahead of the Indianapolis game.

Tomlin was insistent in Trubisky’s ability to rebound from a rough game against the Patriots, but he suffered another poor performance from the quarterback in Pittsburgh’s 30-13 loss.

Trubisky went 16/23 for 169 yards, 1 touchdown (and 1 rushing touchdown), and 2 interceptions.

His biggest flaw doomed the Steelers once again, with his multiple turnovers proving critical in the Steelers loss.

Tomlin said that he did not lay the entirety of Saturday’s demoralizing loss at the feet of Mitch Trubisky, but he did stress once again that the team needs to score more points, and thus being willing to make the change.

In the dying minutes of the game, Tomlin opted to bench Trubisky for Rudolph, who saw very limited action on the final two drives of the game.

Now, the stage is set for Mason Rudolph to make his first start in the NFL since 2021.

In that last start, Rudolph went 30/50 for 242 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception in a 16-16 tie to the winless Detroit Lions.

It’s hard to imagine Rudolph attempting that many passes in this upcoming start, but Tomlin did praise Rudolph’s ability to handle the job.

On Rudolph, Tomlin said “He’s good under tough circumstances. He’s a competitor. He’s a calculated risk taker. I believe that mentality is helpful to us under these circumstances.”

He praised Rudolph’s constant readiness and ability to stick with the Steelers’ program, and felt confident in Rudolph’s ability to carry out the game plan.

At 7-7, the Steelers essentially need to win out if they want to make the playoffs. The loss in Indy plummeted them to 10th in the AFC, and last place in the AFC North. However, a win against their divisional rival Bengals would go a long way in one last playoff push.

While Rudolph has been designated as the starter for now, the light still seems to be left on for Kenny Pickett to return from injury. Tomlin said that Pickett has progressed excellently in rehab, but he first must be cleared by a medical staff before the Steelers can contemplate him returning to the lineup.

Somewhere, Chris Hoke is jumping up and down in absolute glee.

(Featured photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)