With Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out for the season with an elbow injury, backup Mason Rudolph will have some big shoes to fill.

Rudolph was the Steelers’ third-round pick (76th overall) out of Oklahoma State in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, he saw no game action during his rookie season after losing the preseason competition for the backup role to Josh Dobbs.

But he used the time on the bench to work on his game and came to training camp this year feeling “10 times better” than he did in last season.

“I’m having much more fun,” Rudolph said. “It’s coming so much more naturally. The game has slowed down. I’m just ready to play. I’m ready to play someone in another uniform. Go out there have fun and let it rip.”

The 24-year-old impressed during the spring and summer and ended up earning the backup job this season following a solid performance in the preseason games. He completed 65% of his passes for 368 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.

When Rudolph replaced Roethlisberger in the third quarter on Sunday, his first drive ended with an interception. But he came back to throw two touchdowns and rack up 112 passing yards, finishing with a solid 92.4 passer rating.

The South Carolina native was a starter for three years at Oklahoma State, accumulating 13,618 yards and 92 touchdowns with 26 interceptions.