When Ben Roethlisberger got his first chance to publicly discuss the Steelers' draft selection of his potential successor in Mason Rudolph, the Pittsburgh starting QB made it clear he wasn't a fan of the pick.
"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 during an interview on Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan, also suggesting the pick felt like an affront to his commitment to playing for the Steelers at age 36. "I think they believed me. Once they drafted a quarterback in the third, I wasn't sure if they believed me or not."
Although there is some rationale to Roethlisberger's initial emotions, the Steelers made the right move for the better of both the team's future and its Hall of Fame quarterback's present.
Rudolph will help the Steelers win immediately, and Roethlisberger with his words proved why. Rudolph might not be of help on the field as long as Big Ben is healthy and active, but the rookie's presence already has lit an extra fire under Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh now hopes the veteran's big words in May will turn into bigger actions come September.
The situation should sound familiar. In 2013, a 36-year-old Tom Brady struggled through one of his shakiest seasons as the Patriots' starter as they fell short of the Super Bowl. New England then drafted Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. After a shaky start to the 2014 season, Brady was rejuvenated all the way through a victory in the Super Bowl for his then-elusive fourth ring.
In a more recent example, Alex Smith in 2017 saw the Chiefs draft Patrick Mahomes in the first round after the veteran had led them to a 12-4 record and a division title. Smith responded with his best NFL season at age 33.
NFL DRAFT GRADES:
How Steelers fared with 2018 picks
The Steelers are coming off four consecutive playoff berths and four consecutive playoff disappointments. Since a prolific 2013 season, Roethlisberger has been inconsistent and inefficient. Although he has put up a few monster games, some low points — like poor road play and last year's regular-season game against the Jaguars — have damaged either his team's postseason standing or its ultimate fate.
With Roethlisberger's play leveling off late in his career, and given his own hints at retirement, the Steelers can't be blamed for accelerating their plans of lining up a replacement.
Part of Roethlisberger's frustration over the pick is the fact that the Steelers used a fourth-rounder on a QB last year, too, in Joshua Dobbs. When Roethlisberger says the team should have thought more about sitting on their depth chart of Dobbs and backup Landry Jones, he means he doesn't want to worry about an actual potential heir apparent such as Rudolph.
The traits that will go down as Roethlisberger's signature strengths on the field — his competitiveness and his confidence — are also sources of weakness. He can overcome bad games knowing he's capable of anything with his physical talents, but that confidence can translate to the kind of jerkiness that can be detrimental to a team. For example, the tension between Roethlisberger and Todd Haley contributed to the Steelers' offensive coordinator change this offseason. The QB also never had the greatest relationship with wide receiver Martavis Bryant, who was traded to the Raiders.
The Steelers did think about helping Roethlisberger when they hired his beloved quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner as coordinator to replace Haley. They thought about Roethlisberger again when they drafted wide receiver James Washington in the second round to replace Bryant. Pittsburgh is pushing the right buttons on Roethlisberger without having to reprogram him. The Rudolph selection simply is a sneaky way of motivating Big Ben out of his comfort zone.
If Pittsburgh's overall offseason goal was making Roethlisberger realize the team's window to win another Super Bowl with him is shrinking fast, consider it accomplished. The Steelers are expecting Roethlisberger to respond with another spike in his play, and his swagger suggests he will deliver. Even if that production comes out of arrogance, it's good for the team's bottom line.
Pittsburgh's only real QB competition in 2018 will be between Jones, Dobbs and Rudolph for the backup role. Even so, the team could not have found a better carrot to dangle in front of its veteran starter.
