Biggest moments from 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers

Big Ben’s season ending elbow injury

QB Ben Roethlisberger grimaced after throwing several passes on a drive late in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in just the second game of the regular season. Fans had high hopes going into the game after a disappointing and disastrous showing against the New England Patriots in the season opener.

Roethlisberger left the game by the end of the first half and Mason Rudolph was named as the starter for the second half. Big Ben would undergo elbow surgery in the weeks following the game. He has consistently said he plans to return for the 2020 season. But this can absolutely be pointed to as one of the biggest catalysts for everything else that unfolded over the course of the season.

Mason Rudolph sees major game action

Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph was named the starter for the Steelers following Roethlisberger’s injury. While many fans had a grim outlook for the rest of the season, it was still young, the team only having played two games before Rudolph’s first start.

Rudolph ultimately had 176 completed passes, a 62% completion percentage, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions over the course of the 2019 season, winning a few games for the Steelers down the stretch and keeping them in playoff contention.

Rudolph gets knocked out against the Ravens, cart controversy emerges

Midway through the third quarter, Mason Rudolph rolled out of the pocket as the protection broke, and just as he let the ball fly, he was hit right under the chin by Baltimore Safety Earl Thomas and knocked unconscious. He lay motionless on the field for several minutes as teammates were visibly upset and Heinz Field fell silent.

Rudolph was able to stand up and be helped off the field. Most thought that he should have been carted off to protect his head and neck before he could get medical treatment. However, the medical cart would not start. In the days following the incident, team officials issued statements saying the cart wasn’t needed anyway.

The legend of Devlin “Duck” Hodges emerges before wings clipped

The head trauma sustained by Rudolph thrust undrafted rookie free agent Devlin “Duck” Hodges into the spotlight and the starting role as quarterback.

Hodges, nicknamed Duck for his prowess as a duck caller, immediately became a hit with Black and Gold fans. He led the Steelers to victory in his first career start. He looked unafraid of slinging the ball downfield. He had all the “intangibles.” Stars of the reality show “Duck Dynasty” showed their support. Local restaurants were naming dishes after him. But ultimately, Duck’s wings were clipped.

After throwing several bad interceptions over the course of a few late season games, Hodges was benched and Rudolph was brought back. Ultimately, it would be Hodges who would be the starter in the disappointing season finale after Rudolph suffered a shoulder injury.

Brawl erupts in final seconds of ‘Thursday Night Football’ showdown in Cleveland

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett ripped off Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph’s helmet and hit him over the head with it in the final seconds of the Browns’ 21-7 win over the Steelers.

Dozens of players from both benches rushed the field during the melee after Garrett wrestled Rudolph to the ground. Garrett, Maurkice Pouncey and Larry Ogunjobi were ejected from the remainder of the game. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines were handed down to players on both sides of the ball. Garrett, Pouncey and Ogunjobi were all suspended for at least one game for their role in the fight.

Garrett also issued a statement roughly a week following the brawl in which he claimed Rudolph uttered a racial slur prior to the fight. Rudolph denied the allegation and the league’s investigation also “found no such evidence” that it ever occurred.

Minkah Magic unfolds for the Steelers

Arguably one of the most controversial coaching decisions Steelers fans have experienced in decades was the signing of second year safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from Miami in exchange for a first-round draft pick. And while the jury is still out on the question of did the Steelers win this trade, Fitzpatrick’s impact to the season was nothing short of monumental.

Following an injury to Sean Davis, the Steelers signed Fitzpatrick. In his first game for the Steelers, the defense forced five turnovers and Fitzpatrick picked off Jimmy Garoppolo. It was a spark the Steelers defense would ride for much of the season, staying near the top of the league in many categories despite the failures on the offensive side of the ball. He would end the season ranked fifth in the league for interceptions, several of which clinched games for the Steelers.

OLB T.J. Watt breaks out for a monster season

Named as the team’s MVP for the 2019 season and in the running for Defensive Player of the Year, T.J. Watt broke out for an absolutely nasty season.

He played in all 16 regular season games, racking up:

• 2 interceptions
• 8 forced fumbles
• 36 quarterback hits
• 14.5 sacks

Watt ended the season ranked fifth in the league for sacks, a fitting end to a season where he emerged as someone to be feared on the defensive side of the ball

Honorable mentions:

• The Steelers defense as a whole ended the 2019 season ranked fifth in total defense, third in total passing yards and 14th in total rushing yards, a major improvement over the past several seasons. Fans hadn’t seen a Steelers defense like this in years.
• Rookie LB Devin Bush led the team with 109 tackles in his first season, also racking up two interceptions, a forced fumble and four fumble recoveries.
• QB Mason Rudolph hit rookie WR Diontae Johnson late in the second quarter against Miami for a 45-yard touchdown bomb
• WR James Washington hauls in an incredible bobbled touchdown catch against the Browns at Heinz Field as Hodges tossed it into double coverage for a 30-yard score
• CB Joe Haden finished off both the Browns and Cardinals with interceptions late in the fourth quarter, securing the wins for the Steelers