Former Steelers QB Named Titans Starter

A former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is now the head honcho for the Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph (11) looks for a receiver during the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was officially named the Tennessee Titans' starter, supplanting 2023 second-round pick Will Levis.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that the Titans were making the move on Tuesday, and head coach Brian Callahan confirmed the franchise was heading in that direction today.

"It all came out yesterday, but we'll make a change at quarterback," Callahan said, via ESPN's Turron Davenport. "We're gonna sit Will and start Mason this week, and Will will function as the backup. Those are decisions that aren't easy to come by, there's a lot of thought that gets put into them, and at the end of the day we felt like it was the best thing for our team for these last few weeks."

Rudolph has appeared in five games (three starts) so far this season, throwing for 1,015 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions with a completion percentage of 63.0.

Tennessee's season has long been lost, and it enters Week 16 holding the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with a 3-11 record.

The organization has signaled that it is ready to move on from Levis, as he seemingly won't earn an audition for the starting role on next year's team over the closing weeks of the season. The 25-year-old has posted 1,916 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 11 contests.

The Titans signed Rudolph to a one-year deal worth up to $3.6 million this past March. The 29-year-old was coming off of a 2023 campaign with the Steelers in which he started the final three regular season games and put up 716 yards with three touchdowns across that stretch, leading to a perfect 3-0 record and a playoff berth.

Rudolph also got the nod in Pittsburgh's Super Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers would go on to lose 31-17 in that game while he threw for 229 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

In four seasons and a total of 21 games (13 starts) in the Steel City after being selected in the third round of the 2018 draft, Rudolph tossed for 3,085 yards, 19 scores and 11 interceptions.

He'll now have the chance to play himself into an opportunity with either the Titans or another team in the league once he hits free agency in the offseason.

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