Steelers Starting Devlin Hodges Over Mason Rudolph For Browns Rematch

It’s nearly been two weeks since “Thursday Night Football” devolved into an all-out brawl between the Steelers and Browns.

As you likely remember, Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett bashed Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph over the head with his own helmet in the waning moments of the Week 11 contest, resulting in his ejection. The NFL served Garrett with an indefinite suspension for his actions.

But one key player won’t be starting in Sunday’s rematch.

The Steelers announced Tuesday they’re opting to sit Rudolph for Devlin “Duck” Hodges for their Week 13 game against the Browns. Hodges took Rudolph’s place during Pittsburgh’s Week 12 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, completing five of his 11 passes for 118 yards and one touchdown.

So, why the switch?

“He hadn’t protected the ball very recently like he did in the early portions of his participation,” head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday, per the team. “I got a lot of patience for young guys but one thing that we need to do is take care of the ball.”

We’ll see if the change pays off come Sunday, with kick-off from Heinz Field slated for 1 p.m. ET.