Mark Madden: Mason Rudolph makes more sense as Steelers No. 2 QB, but it doesn't matter

A tale of two things that don’t really matter but we nonetheless discuss:

It doesn’t matter that Kenny Pickett is No. 2 on the Steelers’ depth chart at quarterback and that Mason Rudolph is No. 3. It wouldn’t matter if it was vice-versa, either.

If Mitch Trubisky gets knocked out of Sunday’s opener at Cincinnati, the Steelers are toast (and probably are anyway).

Pickett isn’t yet ready to be the Steelers’ savior or even their Kirk Cousins.

Rudolph at No. 2, for now, would be smarter.

Rudolph has entered NFL games in midstream before. Rudolph has had an extra year to absorb what offensive coordinator Matt Canada wants. Rudolph is more ready to play an NFL game right now.

Rudolph at No. 2 would make things easier for Trubisky come the home opener vs. New England on Sept. 18, too.

The minute Trubisky falters, Acrisure Stadium will be clamoring for Pickett. Chanting his name. It won’t take much, either. Just an incompletion or two. That (probably) doesn’t happen if Pickett is inactive.

That’s a minor concern. Trubisky is made of sterner stuff.

But who’s the No. 2 quarterback right now isn’t about anointing the Steelers’ long-term franchise QB or even who performed better at training camp and in exhibition games.

It’s about who’s currently the better fit for the job. That’s Rudolph.

Perhaps, for the Steelers, it was about optics. It’s a bad look if your first-round draft pick is inactive Week 1.

But, as noted, it doesn’t really matter.

BTW, it’s hard to believe that the Steelers took almost 20 hours to correct a “clerical error” regarding the Monday/Tuesday depth-chart switcheroo that saw Pickett and Rudolph flip-flop spots. It seems like coach Mike Tomlin was messing with the media, for whom he has more contempt than respect.

But messing with the media would also entail messing with Rudolph. So you’d like to think that wasn’t the case.

Also on Tuesday, the Steelers announced they will retire Franco Harris’ No. 32 at halftime of the home game vs. Las Vegas on Dec. 24.

Gametime is 8:15 p.m. Dinner will be served.

Related

• Tim Benz: 'Clerical error' or change of mind, Kenny Pickett as 2nd QB streamlines depth chart
• Mitch Trubisky to start, Kenny Pickett moves to No. 2 on Steelers' quarterback depth chart

Harris was a major catalyst for the Steelers dynasty in the ’70s. The date is one day after the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. That’s when the Steelers’ luck finally turned. The Steelers might be 6-8 by then, so this keeps the fans engaged.

It’s surprising that the Steelers aren’t retiring Terry Bradshaw’s number the same day. He threw the pass that Harris caught. Bradshaw quarterbacked four Super Bowl champions.

But Bradshaw and the Steelers aren’t always on good terms. Perhaps that factors in. He also might have duties as an in-studio analyst for Fox that day.

The Steelers aren’t big on retiring numbers. The first was Ernie Stautner’s No. 70 in 1964, then Joe Greene’s No. 75 in 2014, and now Harris.

If this opens the floodgates, it could also bruise some feelings.

Retire too many numbers, and it dilutes the honor.

The Montreal Canadiens have retired 15 numbers. The result is only two single-digit numbers left in play and too many on the current roster wearing numbers in the 40s and above. It makes hockey’s most storied franchise look carny.

The Steelers have unofficially retired a bunch of numbers. For example, nobody has worn Bradshaw’s No. 12 since he quit.

If the Steelers do start retiring more numbers, those left out will be hurt.

You’d have to retire the numbers of Bradshaw, Mel Blount, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Webster and Rod Woodson. These are true all-time greats within the context of the NFL, not just the Steelers.

But some very good players would be on the pay-no-mind list: Hall-of-Famers like Jerome Bettis, Dermontti Dawson, Alan Faneca, Kevin Greene, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. Hines Ward was a fan favorite, but isn’t in Canton, and shouldn’t be considered for this.

That’s the problem with the Steelers’ retiring more numbers: Once you start, where do you stop? Retire too many, and it becomes meh.

But it really doesn’t matter. Those guys don’t play anymore.