Mike Tomlin wasn't making many commitments to who would and would not play in Thursday night's preseason opener between the Steelers and Cowboys in the Hall of Fame Game, but he did let it be known Ben Roethlisberger would not play.

Tomlin said Tuesday morning Mason Rudolph would start the game, with Dwayne Haskins finishing the first half and Josh Dobbs completing the game.

Rudolph remains the No. 2 quarterback behind Roethlisberger, while Haskins, a former No. 1 pick with Washington in 2019, and Dobbs are continuing to vie for the No. 3 job.

The only other players Tomlin was definitive about not playing were defensive lineman Cam Heyward and cornerback Joe Haden.

Running back Najee Harris, the team's first-round draft pick, said Saturday that he'd like to play in the game. That has yet to be determined -- and seems unlikely -- but Tomlin said he wants to see Harris get prepared for the ramp-up to playing a game.

"He's a rookie. He needs the process of game preparation," Tomlin said. "We've got four opportunities for him to do that. We're going to make sure he participates in all four of those processes. We'll determine how much he plays. But the preparation of readying yourself to play is something I believe all of those young guys need, regardless of their potential roles for us once the regular season starts. 

"I just want to get them into as many stadiums and watch them prepare, watch them establish a routine that make them comfortable and maximize their ability in a game-like setting."

The same goes for rookie center Kendrick Green, a third-round pick. But unlike Harris, the presumptive starting running back and workhorse, expect Green to start and play significant snaps as he continues to work toward a starting role.

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