Donald Trump Has A Feeling QB Mason Rudolph Is 'Gonna To Be The Guy' In Pittsburgh

President Donald Trump made a lot of news on Friday evening when he held a rally in Western Pennsylvania in support of United States Steel and announced he was doubling tariffs on foreign steel from 25 percent to 50 percent. 

Oh, yeah, Trump also predicted quarterback Mason Rudolph is "gonna be the guy" this season for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Steelers Past And Present Welcome Trump

Talk about predictions out of the blue from President Trump.

Let's take this in chronological order: Trump held a rally Friday evening  at U.S. Steel’s Irvin Works in West Mifflin.

And he announced the tariffs to an approving audience of working class men and women who work in the steel industry that has been under siege for some time. 

But Trump, who is perhaps the most sports-minded president in the history of the republic, also welcomed three current and former members of the Pittsburgh Steelers -- starting quarterback Mason Rudolph, Super Bowl winning running back Rocky Bleier, and current safety and special teams captain Miles Killebrew.

It was an inspiring moment for the crowd, who were obviously mostly Steelers fans – especially when Trump brought all three men on stage.

Rocky Bleier Names Trump Honorary Steeler

Bleier presented Trump with a customized Steelers No. 47 jersey and called him an honorary member of the team. Bleier, by the way, fought in Vietnam in 1969 before he returned to the United States to play for the Steelers.

 "I'd like to present this to a Hall of Fame president," Bleier said to Trump when he handed the president his new honorary jersey.

And, yes, Trump singled out Rudolph.

"I happen to think a really good quarterback is a man named Mason Rudolph," Trump said in initially welcoming Rudolph onto the stage. 

"I think he’s going to get a big shot. He’s tall, he’s handsome, got a great arm, and I have a feel he’s gonna be the guy."

The Aaron Rodgers Factor

That, by the way, is a curveball from Trump. Because practically every authority who thinks they know is awaiting Aaron Rodgers to announce he's joining the Steelers to be their presumptive starter.

That includes club owner Art Rooney II, who has said on multiple occasions that he's both optimistic about a Rodgers decision to join the team.

If Rodgers finally decides to sign with the Steelers – and he's not given the Steelers any guarantees at this point – he would be the starter. The Steelers, after all, aren't bringing him to Pittsburgh to sit behind Rudolph.

But Trump apparently believes whatever happens with Rodgers, his supporter Rudolph is going to be a factor. And if we've learned anything, it's do not dismiss Trump's instincts out of hand.

So maybe Rodgers simply retires. Or the 41-year-old signs with the Steelers but suffers an injury – another one – that might thrust Rudolph into the lineup. 

We don't know. But we'll soon see.