Steely McBeam
Well-known member
- Mar 20, 2019
- 2,135
- 0
Getty Images
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has loved rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges, because he was winning, and taking care of the ball.
When Hodges stopped doing both in dramatic fashion last night, Tomlin wasn’t in the mood for endorsements.
“I am not getting into that, guys,” Tomlin said, via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “We just lost a football game. I’m not going to make an announcement every week or every time I stand in front of you guys in terms of who is playing quarterback or any other position for that matter.”
He put Hodges into the job three weeks ago in place of the turnover-prone Mason Rudolph, and Hodges hadn’t lost a start. He had also thrown just two interceptions all season, but had four in last night’s loss to the Bills.
Hodges said he didn’t know what the future held.
“I hope I’m the guy,” he said, “but whatever happens, happens. I’m going to be supportive. This is about the team, not me.”
But he also said he wasn’t going to let the loss shake his confidence.
“You hate to lose,” Hodges said, “but I think after the first loss, how you respond is going to define who I am. I mean, yeah, I’m disappointed right now, but in a couple days I’m still going to be who I am. I’m still going to be confident, still going to know that I can get the job done.”
He did hit some big plays, and gave the short-handed Steelers a chance, with two trips deep into Bills territory in the fourth quarter. But both of those drives ending with Bills players catching passes put his status into question for the first time.