PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mason Rudolph guided a pair of long second-half scoring drives after taking over for the injured Aaron Rodgers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers…
Mason Rudolph guided a pair of long second-half scoring drives after taking over for the injured Aaron Rodgers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers surged past the Cincinnati Bengals 34-12 on Sunday.
Rodgers, the NFL’s oldest active player at 41, injured his left hand during a Pittsburgh drive late in the first half. It was unclear exactly when the four-time MVP was hurt. Rodgers was hit illegally twice during the drive, both of which resulted in roughing-the-passer penalties against Cincinnati.
While the Steelers (6-4) initially listed Rodgers’ status as “questionable,” he did not return to the sideline for the second half.
Enter Rudolph, the longtime backup who led the Steelers on a late run to the playoffs in 2023. He returned to Pittsburgh last spring, though he quickly ceded the starting job after Rodgers signed in early June.
Rudolph picked up right where he left off, completing 12 of 16 throws for 127 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to running back Kenny Gainwell with 3:40 left that sealed it.
Pittsburgh’s defense, which was shredded by Joe Flacco and the Bengals a month ago, added two touchdowns of its own.
