Titans QB Has Huge Opportunity

The Tennessee Titans are starting a new quarterback against the Indianapolis Colts.

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

The Tennessee Titans are giving the ball to backup quarterback Mason Rudolph when the team trots out to play the Indianapolis Colts.

Rudolph started three games earlier in the year, but that was due to Will Levis' shoulder injury. This time, the Titans are giving the ball to Rudolph because they believe he is the best person for the job.

With three games left in an otherwise lost season for the Titans, the team lacks direction with a cloud of uncertainty hovering over Levis. This opens the door for Rudolph to make an impact in his final three games.

This time a year ago, Rudolph was thrust into the starting role for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he went 3-0 to help his team qualify for the playoffs. While the stakes aren't as high, his performance with the Steelers helped him land a job with the Titans in the offseason.

Rudolph once again faces free agency this offseason and he will be able to use these next three games as an audition for whoever his next team may be, including the Titans.

The Titans would be smart to let their second-year quarterback develop over the last three games if they really believed in him, but the decision to start Rudolph over Levis shows that there is some doubt there.

If Rudolph balls out and wins three straight for the Titans, should they consider re-signing him and running it back in 2025 with him under center? It wouldn't be the craziest idea in the world. It would basically match the decision that the Titans made this week choosing him over Levis.

Rudolph goes into today's game against the Colts with nothing to lose and everything to gain, and sometimes that is exactly what you want in a franchise quarterback.

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