Steelers’ Mason Rudolph knocked out and briefly hospitalized after scary hit

A woozy Mason Rudolph was helped off the field by Pittsburgh Steelers staffers on Sunday after the quarterback was knocked out on a frightening hit and then violently struck his head on the ground during Pittsburgh’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens. According to multiple reports, Rudolph was released Sunday evening from a Pittsburgh hospital, where he had undergone evaluation for what the team said was a concussion, and was resting at home.

Compounding the frightening scene was the team’s inability to get the medical cart onto the field, a failure that left Rudolph to wobble off with assistance. The situation brought criticism from the NFL Players Association; the problem stemmed from operator error and not a mechanical issue, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which reported that the NFL had called Steelers officials to investigate.

As Rudolph ran from the pocket midway through the third quarter, the 24-year-old quarterback left his feet to throw, completing a 26-yard pass. But his helmet and face mask were struck by Baltimore safety Earl Thomas’s helmet. As Rudolph fell limply to the ground, the back of his helmet smacked the turf at Heinz Field. He lay motionless on the field, with Pittsburgh lineman Alejandro Villanueva and others signaling that the quarterback needed urgent medical attention.