Mason Rudolph: 'Constant noise' on Aaron Rodgers won't deter his Steelers prospects

Mason Rudolph has been in the NFL for more than half a decade now. And like any quarterback that has figured out a way to stick around, he's gotten pretty good at guessing where the pressure might be coming during a given play.

During the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first workout of voluntary organized team activities, that pressure didn't come from any of the yellow-clad defenders on the practice field, but from someone who wasn't there.

Yes, Rudolph is well aware of Pittsburgh's very public courtship of Aaron Rodgers. It took all of 90 seconds for Rudolph to be asked about Rodgers on Tuesday. Rudolph just shrugged his shoulders.

He's been here before. Many, many times during the roller coaster that was his first stint with the Steelers from 2018-23, when he evolved from perennial backup to afterthought to unlikely season-saver.

"That’s nothing new to me," Rudolph said Tuesday. "There’s been constant noise. That is the nature of the NFL. So I have been used to that for a long time now. (I can) do nothing but be the best I can be and help our team get better this spring."

Will he or won't he? Aaron Rodgers has been linked with a move to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

The well-liked Rudolph returned to Pittsburgh on a two-year deal in March after an uneven season in Tennessee. At the time, Rudolph was one of two quarterbacks on the roster as Justin Fields left for the New York Jets and the Steelers opted not to bring back Russell Wilson.

Pittsburgh has since taken a flyer on former Ohio State star Will Howard in the draft, all the while ostensibly keeping one seat open in the quarterback room for Rodgers, who visited the team facility in early spring but left without signing a deal