Steelers' Rudolph will get the start at QB against Bengals
Though Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett improved throughout the week, his right ankle injury and subsequent surgery will keep him out of at least a third straight game when Pittsburgh (7-7), trying to keep its playoff hopes alive, hosts the Cincinnati Bengals (8-6), who are riding a three-game winning streak, on Saturday.
Longtime Steelers backup quarterback Mason Rudolph will make his first start since Nov. 14, 2021 after coach Mike Tomlin opted to bench veteran Mitch Trubisky, who failed to impress in losses to the Cardinals, Colts and Patriots.
The 28-year-old Rudolph, who made his NFL debut with Pittsburgh in 2019, has spent the last two seasons as a third-stringer.
Rudolph has made 10 career starts and passed for 2,369 yards and 16 touchdowns in 18 overall games. CHARGERS' ALLEN OUT AGAIN >> NFL receptions leader Keenan Allen will miss his second straight game due to a heel injury.
The Los Angeles Chargers declared Allen out for Saturday's home game against the Buffalo Bills.
Allen leads the league with 108 catches, a Chargers single-season record, and is fourth in yardage (1,243).
Los Angeles (5-9) also announced that practice window has opened for linebacker Joey Bosa, who has missed the past five games with a foot injury. Bosa has also been declared out for Saturday night.
It will be the Chargers' first game under interim coach Giff Smith. Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired last Friday, a day after a 63-21 loss at Las Vegas.
JETS QB WILSON LIKELY TO MISS GAME >> New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson remained in the concussion protocol and hasn't participated in practice this week, making it more likely Trevor Siemian will start Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
Wilson was injured in the first half of the Jets' 30-0 loss at Miami last Sunday before Siemian replaced him. Wilson, who was sacked four times, was briefly checked in the medical tent early in the game and continued to play until leaving before halftime.
The third-year quarterback's head appeared to hit the ground on one sack, although it wasn't clear if that was the blow that caused the injury.
Coach Robert Saleh said on Wednesday that Wilson appeared to be improving and he wasn't closing the door on him being able to play. The Jets held walkthroughs on Wednesday and Thursday, so the practice participation for players is just an estimate. But typically, players who aren't cleared of the concussion protocol by Thursday don't play on Sunday.
TUG-OF-WAR ADDED TO PRO BOWL >>
The NFL is adding tug-of-war to its Pro Bowl skills competitions in February.
The league announced what those selected for the Pro Bowl will compete in, including dodgeball, precision passing, a closest-tothe-pin golf challenge and a Madden gaming event.
The games will take place at Central Florida and finish with a seven-on-seven flag football game between the AFC and NFC on Feb. 4.
New this year is tug-ofwar, the traditional company picnic event where teams of five people will start above a foam pit and try and pull the opposing group in their direction.
Dodgeball will have four teams of five players with the AFC offense facing the NFC defense and then the AFC defense playing the NFC offense.
Six players from each conference will attempt to drive a golf ball as close to the hole as possible.
The rest of the competitions are precision passing, where three quarterbacks from each conference try to hit as many as possible in one minute; a best catch event with fans voting on the winner; a special teams competition where players, starting with a football in each hand, field punts from a JUGS machine without dropping any of the balls; a Kick Tac Toe event for kickers; an obstacle course race for six players of each conference; and a strength competition where five players from each conference work as a group to move 3,000 pounds of weights off a wall, then pull that 2,000-pound wall across a finish line.