Steelers' Third-String Slinger Stops the Chargers

Obviously, baseball's got a stronger history of calling players up from the minors than football, but one of their veterans' standard bits of advice to rookies comes to mind here:

The game's the same, kid. There's just an extra level of seats in the stadium.

Sounds reassuring, but there is the small matter of the brighter lights causing increased pressure.

 

With Ben Roethlisberger going down for the season, that pressure fell to former Oklahoma State Cowboy Mason Rudolph.

Dude went 1-2 in three starts:

• Lost, 24-20, at San Francisco, going 14-27 for 174 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT;
• Won, 27-3, over Cincinnati, going 24-28 for 229 yards and 2 TDs; and
• Lost, 26-23, to Baltimore, going 13-20 for 131 yards and 1 TD ... not to mention getting his bell rung.

 

Enter Devlin Hodges, an undrafted free agent last spring, who honed his craft at Samford University.

Notably, dude broke the FCS record for passing yards, previously held by the late Steve McNair. Here's a look at some of Hodges' handiwork:

 

Those who know him thus weren't surprised when he made Pittsburgh's roster, and figured if he'd ever be the next man up, he'd deliver.

Dude had prepared himself well for such a moment:

 

The Los Angeles Chargers discovered this first-hand.

Hodges went 15-20 for 132 yards while surrendering only 1 INT in the Steelers 27-24 triumph. This included his first NFL TD toss:

 

Duck?

Of course there's a story:

 

When Rudolph clears concussion protocol, odds are he'll be back at the helm. When Big Ben is healthy, he'll definitely be calling the signals.

But if the occasion presents itself of taking center stage again, good ol' Duck Hodges will be ready to answer that call. Any call.