The Steelers Could Have A Massive, Franchise-Altering Decision To Make If Team Beats Seahawks In Week 17

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin was very clear during his Tuesday press conference that he is not in the business of discussing hypotheticals. He had an easy decision to make entering Week 16 when it came to the team's starting quarterback situation. After benching Mitch Trubisky after a Week 15 embarrassment against the Indianapolis Colts, Mason Rudolph was the go-to-guy heading into a crucial division matchup versus the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. Kenny Pickett has been recovering from "tightrope" surgery and Rudolph stepped up in a big way, leading the team to a 34-11 win two days before Christmas.

No one is quite sure if Pickett will be 100% and able to play against the Seattle Seahawks in the team's second-to-last regular season game of the 2023 season. It might not matter, as Rudolph isn't just fully healthy, but is coming off the best game from a Steelers' quarterback in quite some time. He threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns while also getting George Pickens back on track.

Based on Tomlin's comments, the team is preparing as if Rudolph will be the starter in Seattle. There's no reason to rush Pickett back, especially after Rudolph's performance. The big challenge that will be presented to Tomlin and the entire decision-making team will come if Rudolph leads the Steelers to a win versus the Seahawks and a Week 18 win is critical to potentially make the postseason.

It's easy to use Pickett's ankle as an excuse to rest him one more week, but if the season is on the line in Week 18, Pittsburgh's brass will let the entire NFL world know what they think their quarterback situation will look like in the near-future. An argument about riding the hot hand could be made, but not starting Pickett in Week 18 in the year's biggest game would be an indictment on how Tomlin views him for the long run.

This is exactly what Tomlin doesn't want to discuss because of how contingent it is on a Rudolph win in Seattle, but there's a serious possibility that Steelers fans have their answer on the future and Pickett in the season's final week. It becomes even more muddy because there is no way to tell what direction the team goes in 2024 and beyond.

Rudolph is a free agent, Trubisky is as good as gone after sinking to third-string, and Pickett's assumed Week 18 benching will certainly put a plethora of doubt in his head and a quarterback needs confidence. The possibility of this happening is already on the minds of Steelers fans. Kevin Adams of the Steel Here podcast expressed his thoughts on X.

Based on Tomlin's press conference comments, one can expect Pickett to possibly be slated as the emergency quarterback in Week 17. That tells fans he's healthy enough to get on the field, but only in a do-or-die situation. It could go a bunch of ways, but Tomlin's worst nightmare when it comes to answering questions will be if Rudolph plays at a high level again and he had to decide whether or not Pickett is the franchise signal-caller or not.

Steelers' Rudolph Deserves Plethora Of Credit

If Rudolph starts against the Seahawks, he will get the opportunity to play versus another guy who revived his career in Geno Smith. Rudolph isn't there quite yet, but deserves a massive amount of props for stepping in with the season on the line and winning a divisional game convincingly. 

Tomlin would despise this kind of hypothetical talk, but it's an important conversation to have. If Rudolph gets the nod in Weeks 17 and 18, and Pickett is still hobbled, a victory in Seattle could cause a stir of controversy in Pittsburgh.

Do you think the Steelers could give up on Pickett this early? Let us know in the comments below!

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