Mike Tomlin gave QB Dwayne Haskins the chance to solidify the QB2 role in the Steelers preseason game vs the Panthers. But his performance was far from adequate.
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The Steelers have a loaded roster that is potentially in its last year of playoff contention. This might be QB Ben Roethlisberger’s last year in the Pro’s and the Steelers will hope to cross the hump once again in 2021.
The Backup QB spot has been one to look out for. Mason Rudolph has had the job for the last 2 seasons. But 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins joined the team this summer, and will definitely push Rudolph for the job. The Backup job is especially important because whichever guy gets the job has a solid chance to play this season if there Ben Roethlisberger suffers an injury or sits late in the season.
But by the looks of it, Rudolph might have retained his job for the 2021 season.
Mike Tomlin was disappointed in Dwayne Haskins
Dwayne Haskins much-awaited 2021 chance came and went in the game against the Carolina Panthers. And it was unimpressive, to say the least.
Haskins played the whole first half, and he quarterbacked an offense that ran 19 plays, was 0-for-4 on third downs, managed 64 total net yards, never penetrated the Carolina 44-yard line, and ended its six possessions this way: punt, punt, interception, punt, punt, end of the half.
“Like the rest of us, I didn’t think it was enough varsity work from him,” said Tomlin. “It wasn’t the type of performance he wanted or we wanted. Such is life.” “Based on the performance that happened in the stadium, we are in general disappointment,” said Tomlin. “But there will be disappointments in ball and in life.”
Tomlin gave him the first series of the third quarter, likely in an effort to allow Haskins to dig himself out of a hole, and the hole just got deeper. By the time Haskins was replaced by Joshua Dobbs, he was 3-for-9 for 24 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception, and a rating of 2.8.
Tomlin had already announced that neither Ben Roethlisberger nor Mason Rudolph would play the preseason finale and that was sign enough. Haskins’s performance didn’t do him any favors.
