Steelers: Did Mason Rudolph take a shot at Ben Roethlisberger?

It’s no secret Mason Rudolph and Ben Roethlisberger didn’t get along. The current Steelers quarterback appeared to take a shot at his predecessor.

In a radio appearance on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, Rudolph did not mention Roethlisberger by name, but seemed to reference him in a negative light.

Rudolph was asked about his relationship with Kenny Pickett, and if he planned on mentoring the rookie. In response, Rudolph may have outed Big Ben as having done the opposite with him back in 2018.

Per Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, here’s how the interaction went down:

"“Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph knew where the question was going. As a veteran now, does he find himself trying to take on the responsibility of helping first-round pick Kenny Pickett, as opposed to being …“Being like someone else?” Rudolph said.”"

Ouch.

Steelers: Did Mason Rudolph take a shot at Big Ben?

Roethlisberger wasn’t thrilled when the Steelers selected Rudolph out of Oklahoma State in 2018. In a radio appearance at the time, Roethlisberger questioned the decision publicly.

“I was surprised when they took a quarterback, because I thought that maybe in the third-round, you know, you can get some really good football players that can help this team now,” Roethlisberger said on 93.7 The Fan back in 2018. “And nothing against Mason…I just don’t know how backing up…helps us win now.”

Roethlisberger did very little to help Rudolph acclimate to the NFL. The two were never all that close, and Rudolph notably did not send a public message to Roethlisberger upon retirement like most of his teammates.

For his part, Roethlisberger has reached out to both Pickett and potential starter Mitchell Trubisky since retirement. He even invited Trubisky and his wife over for dinner.

Rudolph never received the same treatment, especially when the notoriously-competitive Roethlisberger saw him as a threat back in 2018.