Mason Rudolph a limited participant at Steelers practice

[Steely McBeam]

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Quarterback Mason Rudolph was able to return to limited participation in practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday just days after sustaining a concussion against the Baltimore Ravens.

While Rudolph has more hurdles to clear in the concussion protocol before he would be given the green light to play again, Rudolph’s ability to return to practice at the first opportunity following the injury is a good sign.

“It was great,” quarterback Devlin Hodges said, via the team’s website. “Mason has been telling me he has been feeling really well. It’s good just to see him. That was a scary situation. A really scary situation. You are talking about knocked out pretty cold. To see him here, moving around and smiling, it’s a good sight.”

The concussion protocol includes a ramping up of activity. If he doesn’t experience symptoms on Thursday following his work on Wednesday, he may be permitted to fully participate in practice. If that step goes well without symptoms surfacing, then Rudolph would have a chance to be cleared to play.

Given the scary nature of his injury from Sunday’s game when Earl Thomas hit him helmet-to-helmet and left him unconscious on the field for a length period of time, Rudolph’s ability to be back at practice is good indication he’ll be able to return to the field sooner rather than later.