Steelers’ Jones ready for whatever comes his way
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Mike Tomlin used to joke that Landry Jones consistently broke records for preseason snaps.
Jones did, after all, lead the NFL in attempts, completions and yardage during the 2015 preseason.
Over the last five preseasons, he鈥檚 thrown 51 percent of the Steelers鈥� passes. It goes with being groomed as the backup to Ben Roethlisberger.
Jones鈥� run as Steelers鈥� preseason pass attempts leader was snapped last year by Joshua Dobbs, and his overall reign of the era could fall in tatters this preseason with the introduction of Mason Rudolph to the NFL.
鈥淚 could play a ton,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淥r not play at all.鈥�
Or somewhere in the middle, because four quarterbacks are vying for three jobs and each has something to prove.
n Roethlisberger will stay.
n Rudolph, who signed his rookie contract Wednesday, will stay.
n That leaves it up to Jones or Dobbs for the third spot.
Has Jones, who鈥檚 in the final season of his second contract, given it much thought?
鈥淢an, you can鈥檛 start playing that numbers thing, because you have no idea what they鈥檙e talking about upstairs,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚 was at a concert whenever they drafted Mason. Bruce Gradkowski texted me. That鈥檚 how I found out. But I hadn鈥檛 heard from any of the coaches asking me permission to draft Mason. It鈥檚 just a part of the business.鈥�
So Jones is ready for anything, and that comes with being comfortable. He was comfortable down the stretch as a red-hot practice passer, and that carried into the regular-season finale he completed 23 of 27 passes for 239 yards in a 28-24 win over Cleveland. It was his third win in five career starts and gave him a career-high 99.3 passer rating for the season.
鈥淵eah, I was really comfortable,鈥� Jones said in looking back. 鈥淓very year I play, the more comfortable I get, the more comfortable in the offense, the more comfortable just playing this game. Each year you develop and you get better, particularly with what I feel young quarterbacks usually struggle with: red-zone and third-down stuff. So now it鈥檚 getting to the point where I feel comfortable, and if I鈥檓 needed to go out there and play I can.鈥�
It鈥檚 possible he鈥檚 become an NFL quarterback as he heads into his sixth season, or at least a quarterback who could give his team a chance if needed in a playoff game. A good parallel would be Frank Reich, who was 4-2 before stepping into the limelight at the end of his seventh season. Franchise QB Jim Kelly went down in the 1992 season finale for Buffalo and Reich stepped into the playoffs. He authored the greatest comeback in NFL history, from 35-3 to beat the Houston Oilers in overtime, and then quarterbacked the Bills to a playoff win over the Steelers. Kelly returned for the AFC title game.
By the way Jones finished last season, he could very well be that guy.
鈥淵eah, I feel I鈥檝e shown people I can play. I can win games. I can win tight games,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 here, that鈥檚 awesome. I love being here. Obviously I haven鈥檛 been anywhere else, but for me there鈥檚 no better place if I鈥檓 going to be a backup than here. If I鈥檓 not, then I鈥檒l figure it out from there.鈥�
Jones was the No. 1 quarterback at OTA 2 Wednesday due to the absence of Roethlisberger. And Jones probably plays the big brother role to Rudolph much better than does Roethlisberger.
And why not? They鈥檙e both Okies. Jones, from Oklahoma, is the Big 12鈥檚 all-time passing-yardage leader. Rudolph, out of Oklahoma State, is fourth.
鈥淗e鈥檚 doing well,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 tough to come in your first day and start making checks when you鈥檙e still trying to learn the offense, but he鈥檚 doing well.鈥�
Jones shook his head about how difficult a rookie鈥檚 first spring can be.
鈥淔rom my rookie year, I鈥檓 lucky I鈥檓 still around,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e playing from the middle of the field and you can鈥檛 spread them out and throws are tighter and windows are smaller. But he can throw the ball. He can make all the throws. He鈥檒l be fine.鈥�
So will Landry, whatever may come his way.