Mason Rudolph's tumultuous season is over.
The Steelers have placed the quarterback on injured reserve, the team announced Tuesday.
Rudolph sustained a sternoclavicular joint dislocation on his left shoulder after two Jets hit him simultaneously this past Sunday, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported. The second-year QB had a successful procedure to reset it and was released from the hospital, and he can start throwing again in 6-8 weeks, Rapoport added.
Devlin Hodges, benched in Rudolph's favor during the loss to the Jets and then reinserted following the injury, will start again this weekend against the Ravens.
The balky shoulder will force Rudolph to watch the remainder of this season, be it a week or more (if the Steelers make the playoffs), from the sideline. It also brings an end to what was an uneven campaign at best for the former third-round pick.
Rudolph completed 176 of 283 passes for 1,765 yards, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his first season of action as a Steeler. It's a year that will be remembered mostly for his lack of downfield attempts, adequate play through the first half of the season and dropoff in performance that began in a nightmarish loss to Cleveland which Rudolph finished by inciting a tussle with defensive end Myles Garrett before being hit in the head by his own helmet.
Pittsburgh's hopes now rest in the hands of Hodges and backup Paxton Lynch.
