Mike Tomlin Blames Cut and Paste After Mistakenly Listing Mason Rudolph as No. 2 Quarterback

When the Pittsburgh Steelers released their depth chart for Week 1 yesterday, it became official that Mitchell Trubisky had won the starting job for the black and yellow. Not necessarily a surprise but the team had been publicly adamant all summer that it was a legitimate battle between Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Trubisky, as winner, was rewarded with the top slot on the QB depth chart.

Keen-eyed observers and those without anything else to do on Labor Day noticed Trubisky's backup was not Pickett, the hometown hero who played some excellent football during the preseason. It was Rudolph, best known for getting smacked with a helmet by Myles Garrett and inadequately filling in for Ben Roethlisberger. If all goes well it obviously does not matter who would replace Trubisky if something went sideways, but it was interesting to see the Steelers thought Rudolph better suited to do so than Pickett.

It turns out that was wrong. Mike Tomlin spoke to reporters today and said that Pickett was the No. 2 behind Trubisky, not Rudolph. How did this mistake happen? Tomlin blames cut and paste.

To most of us it doesn't matter at all who is listed on the depth chart. If something does happen to Trubisky, whether it be catastrophic injury or the return of the poor play that led to his one-year hiatus in Buffalo, Tomlin can put in whoever he pleases. He doesn't have to adhere to the depth chart. But it seems he puts a big emphasis on the exact order of things, as he later explained.

It happens, I guess.