The loudest chants inside Acrisure Stadium weren’t for T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, or even Mitch Trubisky for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was for the man who sat behind Trubisky — Mason Rudolph — as fans booed Trubisky and the Steelers’ play-calling.
Boos were cranked up at a high volume for most of Thursday night at the Steelers’ home venue. Fans grew detested over the play of the backup quarterback, then over head-scratching calls, in Pittsburgh’s 21-18 loss to the previously 2-10 New England Patriots.
When Did Chants for Mason Rudolph Erupt?
Trubisky was in as the starter, while Kenny Pickett sat in a coach’s skybox with a headset as he sat out with an ankle ailment.
The chants for Rudolph, meanwhile, surfaced after Trubisky threw his first interception of the night early in the second quarter to Jabrill Peppers.
Steelers stadium chanting “Mason Rudolph” pic.twitter.com/gCFXiSbDHo
— Jordan Schofield (@JSKO_PHOTO) December 8, 2023
“Mason Rudolph” grew louder when Trubisky nearly threw his second interception on a poorly, tightly contested pass on the subsequent offensive possession.
The chants for Mason Rudolph again as Mitch Trubisky almost throws another pick pic.twitter.com/FfNb5wzTCQ
— Jordan Schofield (@JSKO_PHOTO) December 8, 2023
To make matters worse, it certainly didn’t help the former No. 2 overall pick that Bailey Zappe, a Day 3 selection as a 2022 fourth-rounder, out-performed him during the first half.
Bailey Brady Zappepic.twitter.com/yK2K8pHtUT
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 8, 2023
Zappe ended up firing three touchdowns before halftime, including hitting tight end Hunter Henry on two of those scores. New England went on to take a 21-3 lead in the second quarter.
Trubisky and the Steelers, however, managed to cut the lead to 21-10 with 2:50 left in the second. Trubisky stood in the pocket on a blitz and still lobbed a 25-yard strike to Diontae Johnson, who beat J.C. Jackson into the end zone.
Trubisky connects with @Juiceup__3 in the end zone! #NEvsPIT on Prime Video
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/0GJemAElFj pic.twitter.com/3chiKFkfoc— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2023
Pittsburgh, though, had plenty of chances to come back and eventually move to 8-5. But outside of the jeers for Trubisky, the Steelers made some perplexing calls.
Notable Calls That Sparked Fan Criticism
To start the second half, the Steelers put together a long 11-play drive. However, Pittsburgh only managed to collect 32 yards and eventually punted.
The Steelers noticeably only turned to Pro Bowl running back Najee Harris twice on that drive and tried trusting Trubisky’s arm. But an incompletion and sack represented the final two plays of the drive. Lastly, the possession took up 7:09 off the clock and still led to a punt.
But that drive wasn’t the only lowlight in the Steel City. Trubisky, on fourth down and needing just two yards inside the red zone, ended up panicking at the oncoming rush.
Lots of options for Trubisky to convert the fourth down, but the pocket collapses and he has to get rid of the ball sooner than he wanted 🤷♂️pic.twitter.com/rl10VvUwDC
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 8, 2023
Trubisky rushing the short pass wasn’t the only perplexing moment. The Steelers opted to avoid cutting the lead to eight and kept the field goal team off the field in that sequence.
There was more. In the second-to-last drive, Pittsburgh called for back-to-back passes when they needed just two yards — the second such scenario they faced in the second half. Both fell incomplete.
Finally, on 4th-and-2, the Steelers again turned to the air. And the decision got Pittsburgh radio personality Andrew Fillipponi to call them “a dumb team.”
How is this the play call on 4th and 2? What a dumb team. pic.twitter.com/BvunR2PVuG
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) December 8, 2023
Fans rushed to social media to call out the black and gold.
“Steelers play calling cost the Patriots that loss,” one fan said on X (formerly known as Twitter).
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Another fan referred to the Thursday play-calling, “dubious at best.” One more fan, harshly, called the now 7-6 Steelers “a complete embarrassment.”
Even non-Steelers fans ripped the decision-making on the Pittsburgh sidelines. Ex-Pro Bowler Seth Joyner called the offensive philosophy “stupid.” Even the Amazon broadcast team of Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit weren’t shy to criticize the Steelers.
Did Mike Tomlin Defend the Plays Being Called?
Head coach Mike Tomlin already made one aggressive move this season — removing offensive coordinator Matt Canada in season. The move was met with praise by wavers of the Terrible Towel and appeared to promise a more aggressive and efficient offense.
Pittsburgh, though, continues to struggle on that side of the ball. Since the firing, the Steelers have yet to score past 19 points and are only averaging 14.6 points per game post-Canada.
“We play to win. We want to be aggressive,” Tomlin boldly told reporters postgame. “We just didn’t get it done.”
He added that the attempted bomb by Trubisky was indeed the play they drew up and rode with the decision. Tomlin didn’t blame the decisions through the headset as to what cost the Steelers. He pinpointed the points off turnovers as the difference of the game.
“Disappointing outcome. A lot to work on,” Tomlin said. “I thought we fought in the second half. But the difference in the turnovers decided this game.”
Pittsburgh ran more plays than the Patriots at 66 to 55. New England wound up with more total yards at 303, while the Steelers settled for 264. Pittsburgh even averaged just four yards per play compared to New England’s 5.5.
Again, the boos were heard loud as fans witnessed a porous offensive performance for the second time in four days.
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