Whatever role Rush was originally supposed to play has been forestalled due to his cancer diagnosis and treatment.
The Q Team may have determined he is unreliable. Not disloyal, but simply unreliable in the sense that no one, including Rush, can be certain how many days he may have to take off for treatment and rest.
It may be that when the Q word is uttered on the Rush Limbaugh Show it is done so by some honored guest host who gets that honor due to his past loyalty to the movement. He will thus be singled out as one of the major conservative voices of the future.
This would be done with Rush’s consult and blessing. He would be the maker of the next conservative broadcast king.
I remember perhaps a year or more ago Q was mentioned on the Rush Show. As I remember a caller brought Q up, seemingly unexpectedly. Rush sort of fumbled a bit and then changed the subject. I don't remember that Rush denied knowing about Q. Odd that my memory is rather vague; I nearly fell out of my chair (or drove off of the road) at the time.