The Pittsburgh Steelers, assured of an NFL playoff berth with the AFC North division title, will rest veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the regular-season finale against the Browns in Cleveland.
Coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that Mason Rudolph would get the start.
“It does not change our intentions, in terms of going to Cleveland this weekend,” Tomlin said in comments posted on the team’s website.
“Football is our game. Our job is winning. We intend to do our job. We intend to prepare with that mindset. And ultimately lead us to that destination. We’re not seeking comfort. We’re not grading ourselves on a curve.”
The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have already locked up the top seed and only first-round bye in the AFC.
The Buffalo Bills can clinch the second seed with a victory over Miami or a loss by the Steelers, who will enter the playoffs at no worse than the No 3 seed.
Given that scenario, Tomlin said, he planned to “airmail a player or two to the post-season,” although he didn’t say which other starters, besides Roethlisberger, might not start against the Browns.
The Browns go into the contest fighting for their playoff lives. They must win to have a chance to advance.

Unsigned Haskins parts with agent
Former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins is parting with agent David Mulugheta.
ESPN reported Haskins and Mulugheta mutually parted ways as Haskins, waived by the Washington Football Team on Monday, officially becomes a free agent.
NFL Network reported yesterday teams have shown interest in Haskins, including the Carolina Panthers.
Haskins was the 15th overall pick in the 2019 draft, when the Washington franchise was under the direction of team president Bruce Allen and head coach Jay Gruden.
Gruden was fired last season and replaced by Ron Rivera. Allen is also gone.
The decision to release Haskins came after he was fined $40,000 and stripped of his captaincy following a trip to a nightclub in which he was spotted without wearing a mask. Under the NFL’s Covid-19 protocol, going to a nightclub without wearing personal protective equipment is punishable by a maximum fine of one week’s salary or up to a four-game suspension.
Haskins started on Sunday in place of an injured Alex Smith before being benched in the fourth quarter. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in a 20-13 loss to the Panthers.
“My time with the WFT has unfortunately come to an end,” Haskins wrote on his private Twitter account, per ESPN.com. “I thank the team & fans for the opportunity to play for the team I grew up rooting for. I take full responsibility for not meeting the standards of a NFL QB & will become a better man & player because of this experience.”
Haskins, 23, completed 148 of 241 pass attempts for 1,439 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He also fumbled six times and went 1-5 as a starter.

Washington LB Davis announces retirement
Three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis announced Tuesday that he is retiring after the season.
That could be as soon as Sunday, as a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles would knock the Washington Football Team out of the postseason.
Sunday’s contest will be the 200th regular-season game of an NFL career that began in 2005.
“This weekend will be my last regular season football game ever,” Davis wrote on his Instagram account. “... Sometimes things can happen that cause you to feel unworthy, just know that No man can steal what God had already planned for your life! I’m extremely blessed and thankful for every opportunity that I’ve earned because nothing is ever given to you! You work your butt off and you pray that God’s plan aligns with yours!”
Davis played his first 13 seasons with the Carolina Panthers and was a Pro Bowler in 2015, 2016 and 2017. He was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2014.
He defied logic by playing in Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos with a broken right forearm. He broke the arm two weeks earlier in the NFC Championship Game against the Arizona Cardinals and insisted he would play and posted seven tackles in the 24-10 loss to Denver.
Davis spent the 2019 season with the Los Angeles Chargers before joining Washington this season. That allowed him to play his final season under Ron Rivera, his former coach with the Panthers.
Davis said he will wear commemorative cleats for his final game with one of the shoes mentioning that he overcame three ACL tears in his right knee during his career.
Davis has just six tackles in seven games this season while playing just 137 defensive snaps.
Overall, he has 1,216 tackles, 29 sacks, 18 forced fumbles, 13 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries.
Prior to his NFL career, Davis was a consensus All-American in 2004 after his final college season at Georgia. He was selected in the first round (14th overall) of the 2005 draft by the Panthers.