Roethlisberger finally reaches out to Steelers' rookie QB - via text

After he was criticized for the better part of a week, Ben Roethlisberger felt it was finally time to reach out to new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.

So he picked up his phone and sent him a text, according to Rudolph.

Roethlisberger made headlines all week after he initially offered a rude welcome to the incoming QB.

Two weeks ago, the Steelers used a third-round pick in the draft to select Rudolph, a likely successor to Roethlisberger as the team's starting quarterback. That selection was met with shock from Big Ben, despite him flirting with retirement in the two previous offseasons.

"I was surprised when they took a quarterback because I thought that maybe in the third round, you can get some really good football players that can help this team now," Roethlisberger said on a Pittsburgh-area radio show last Friday. "And nothing against Mason, I think he's a great football player ... I just don't know how backing up or being the third guy, who knows where he's going to fall on the depth chart ... helps us win now."

Roethlisberger also said he'd likely respond to any questions from the rookie by simply pointing to the playbook.

Rudolph took it all in stride, however, and said Friday that he believes the two are "going to be friends," Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.