Pittsburgh Steelers' Mason Rudolph ruled out for Week 6 with concussion

Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Mason Rudolph was ruled out for the team's Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, the team announced Friday.

Rudolph was listed as out on the team's official injury report with a concussion. The signal-caller sustained the head injury after a hit by Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas during last Sunday's game. Thomas was fined $21,000 for the hit but plans to appeal the fine.

Despite the concussion, Rudolph practiced in a limited capacity throughout the week. Devlin Hodges, who is expected to make his first career start Sunday, took the majority of the first-team reps in practice.

"Man, it's just a part of life. It's just stuff that we get," Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster told reporters Friday. "With No. 7 [Ben Roethlisberger] going down and now Mason's down, we got Hodges and he's going to go in there and do his job.

"It's just a part of life. 'Next man up,' we say. We just keep working and build that chemistry."

Hodges, an undrafted rookie, took over in the third quarter of the Steelers' loss to the Ravens in Week 5. He completed 7-of-9 passes for 68 yards in the team's overtime loss after filling in for Rudolph.

The Steelers also promoted practice squad quarterback Paxton Lynch and running back Trey Edmunds to the 53-man roster. The team released offensive lineman Fred Johnson and linebacker Jayrone Elliott in corresponding roster moves.