Steelers WR Diontae Johnson supports Mason Rudolph to start

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With the starting quarterback plans still up in the air, wide receiver Diontae Johnson voiced his support for backups.

When asked if he wanted to see him play, Johnson said he wanted to.

He is ready to play. It's probably in the back of his mind when he's going to get his chance. This week is it for him. He is going to do everything he can to be ready for Sunday.

Since Kenny Pickett took over the starting job in Week 4 of the season, free agent acquisitionMitch Trubisky has been inactive. In the Week 14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the quarterback sustained his second concussion in eight weeks and is questionable for Sunday.

While he gave the team a spark with chunk plays on big throws, Trubisky also threw three costly picks.

Johnson acknowledged a dust-up with Trubisky at halftime of the Week 4 loss to the Jets. There was a second half in that game.

Just like me, they have to be on their stuff. I will talk to Pickett to see if he's cool or not. No matter who it is, I'll be ready. If you're making the play on the ball at the end of the day, you don't have to care who throws the balls.

If Pickett can't practice while in the concussion protocol, Trubisky and Rudolph will split first-team reps. That is what happened on Wednesday.

It was good to shake the rust off and be out there with the guys. It was enjoyable.

Matt Canada said it wasn't normal to prepare two quarterbacks in case the starter can't go because of the limited first-team offense.

Two guys have gotten a lot of reps. On the fifth play of the game, our quarterback got banged out, so I think we don't want to have that happen. I don't think it's a good idea to have Mason come in and play and not have had a chance to play. It's our job to make sure he's ready to play.

When he started in Week 10 last year against the Detroit Lions, Ben Roethlisberger was on the COVID-19 list the day before the game. Rudolph completed 30 of 50 attempts for 242 yards, one touchdown and one error.

Johnson, who hasn't had a touchdown catch this season, and Rudolph developed a connection during Johnson's freshman season when Rudolph started eight games after Roethlisberger's season-ending elbow injury. The season ended with 13 touchdown passes and 9 turnovers.

"He's been doing a great job just staying solid through everything and continuing to get better every day." He's showing that he knows what he's doing when he makes the right throws at practice. I think that's nice.