Steelers place Rudolph on injured reserve

Mason Rudolph has been placed on injured reserve

The Steelers placed quarterback Mason Rudolph on injured reserve Tuesday, meaning Pittsburgh will rely on rookie Devlin Hodges this weekend as the team vies for the final wild-card berth in the AFC.

Hodges started last Sunday’s game at the New York Jets and was pulled in the second quarter in favour of Rudolph. But when Rudolph suffered a left shoulder injury in the second half, Hodges returned.

Rudolph, a second-year QB from Oklahoma State, took over as the starter when Ben Roethlisberger went on injured reserved with an elbow injury in September.

Rudolph appeared in 10 games on the year, starting eight, tallying a 5-3 record.

He completed 62.2 per cent of his passes for 1,765 yards and 13 touchdowns.

With Rudolph out, Paxton Lynch – drafted in the first round in 2016 by the Denver Broncos – will back up Hodges.

“Whatever they need me to do, I’ll be ready to go,” Lynch told reporters on Monday. “That’s why they brought me here, to help this team win if I was called upon, so that’s what I’m gonna be ready for”.

In a corresponding move, the Steelers activated center J.C. Hassenauer from the practice squad.

The Steelers (8-7) will play the Ravens (13-2) in Baltimore on Sunday. To secure a playoff spot, they need a win and a loss or tie by the Tennessee Titans, who meet the Houston Texans.

The Steelers also could reach the playoffs with a tie and a Titans loss – or losses by them and the Titans and a win by the Indianapolis Colts and an Oakland Raiders loss or tie.