In 2020, COVID-19 disrupted schooling disproportionately affecting economically disadvantaged learners, students of color, and those living in rural spaces. Nearly three years following its initial onset, the world has entered a "post-pandemic" era. Consequently, all teachers need continued professional support and training related to online (and emergency remote) instruction. This mixed methods study explored the experiences of K-12 language teachers (English as a Second or Other Language [ESOL] and World Language [WL]) in rural Mississippi who engaged with one another through an online professional development (OPD) workshop designed to improve their knowledge and skills related to online language pedagogy. The 50 educators in this study reported significant improvements in their knowledge base, intentions to modify their praxis, and more positive perceptions of working with distance or remote learners. Additionally, the OPD led teachers to challenge their traditional professional identities thereby recognizing their new roles as rural teacher leaders, architects, and collaborators. The findings of this study can address gaps in rural teacher professional support during disrupted contexts including both the design of quality OPD experiences as well as the affordances of discussions related to post-pandemic language teaching.