Earlier this year, Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky and receiver Diontae Johnson got into a verbal altercation during halftime of a game against the Jets. Johnson is either holding a little bit of a grudge, or what he said on Thursday is a coincidence.
Via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com, Johnson said he wants Mason Rudolph to start at quarterback, if rookie Kenny Pickett isn’t cleared from his second concussion of the year.
“Yeah, I wanna see him play,” Johnson said, according to Pryor. “I know he’s ready to play. I know it’s probably in the back of his mind like, ‘Dang, when I’m going get my chance?’ I feel like this week is it for him. I know he’s gonna do everything it takes to be prepared this week, get ready for Sunday.”
Trubisky threw three interceptions in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens, after Pickett left with a head injury.
Both Trubisky and Rudolph have been getting first-team reps with Pickett in the concussion protocol.
A third-round pick in 2018, Rudolph has appeared in 17 games with 10 starts during his five seasons with the Steelers.