Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Mason Rudolph praised Jesus after the team’s 34-11 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, helping the Steelers stay in playoff contention. Rudolph went 17-for-27, throwing for 290 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. It was Rudolph’s first start since November 14, 2021, but through it all, he remained faithful. “First off, I wanna say, just so thankful to my Creator, Jesus Christ, for giving me the opportunity to play this game and for carrying me through dark times, and getting me back here for this special moment,” Rudolph told NBC’s Kathryn Tappen after the game. Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith echoed Rudolph’s statements in his post-game interview saying, “All glory to God for the victory. He’s good, man. All glory to Him.”

Rudolph played college football at Oklahoma State where he was a three-year starter. During his senior year, he won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He was selected by the Steelers in the 2018 NFL Draft where he has served as Ben Roethlisberger’s backup for most of his career. After Roethlisberger’s retirement, Rudolph was still competing for the backup role against Mitch Trubisky after being beat out of the starting job by Kenny Pickett. During the off season this year, Rudolph signed a one-year to remain with the Steelers. Pickett’s injuries this season have forced him to the sidelines, making Trubisky the next man up. He lost his opportunity after the Steelers lost 30-13 to the Indianapolis Colts last week, finally giving Rudolph the opportunity to start. When asked how it felt to get such a big win and if it was an early Christmas gift, he responded “I don’t know. I got a treehouse when I was 12. This is definitely up there, though.” Rudolph shared his thought on how he would reflect on the game saying, “With a lot of gratitude. Just so thankful to God for throwing me a bone and giving me an opportunity to play. I got my family here and celebrating Christmas, so it’ll be a fun time.”