Kyle Rudolph

Kyle Rudolph

Rudolph at the 2012 Pro Bowl.
No. 82  Minnesota Vikings
Position: Tight end
Personal information
Date of birth: November 9, 1989
Place of birth: Cincinnati, Ohio
Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight: 258 lb (117 kg)
Career information
High school: Cincinnati (OH) Elder
College: Notre Dame
NFL draft: 2011 / Round: 2 / Pick: 43
Career history
Roster status: active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2014
Receptions: 133
Receiving yards: 1,286
Touchdowns: 17
Stats at NFL.com

Kyle Daniel Rudolph[1] (born November 9, 1989) is an American football tight end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). Rudolph played college football for the University of Notre Dame, and was chosen by the Vikings in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was selected for the Pro Bowl following the 2012 NFL season.

Early years

Rudolph attended Elder High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a senior in 2008 he was a USA Today All-American after he had 37 receptions for 673 total yards and 11 touchdowns.[2] Rudolph was rated the best tight end and 20th best overall recruit in 2008 according to Rivals.com.[3] Rudolph participated in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.[4] He accepted a scholarship from Notre Dame over Michigan, Tennessee, and Ohio State. He played in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

College career

As a freshman in 2008, Rudolph became the first tight end in Notre Dame history to start every game as a freshman.[5] He ended the season with 29 receptions for 340 yards and two touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2009 he played in only nine games, missing three due to a shoulder injury.[6] He finished the season with 33 receptions for 364 yards and three touchdowns. As a junior in 2010, he played in only six games due to a hamstring injury. He finished the season with 28 receptions for 328 yards and three touchdowns. On January 4, 2011, he declared for the 2011 NFL Draft.[7]

Professional career

NFL Draft

The Minnesota Vikings selected Rudolph as the 43rd overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Minnesota Vikings

During his rookie season, Rudolph caught 26 passes for 249 yards with a 9.6 yard average per reception and three receiving touchdowns.[8]

In 2012 Rudolph had, in many ways, a breakout year. He was targeted 93 times and tallied 53 receptions averaging 9.3 yards per reception. Rudolph finished the year with 493 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.[9] Rudolph was selected for his first pro-bowl in his career at the conclusion of the season as a replacement for Tony Gonzalez.[10] In the Pro Bowl game he caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning on the last play of the first half, and was named MVP of the game.[11]

On July 27, 2014, Rudolph and the Vikings agreed to a five year extension that could be worth up to $40 million.[12] On September 22, 2014, it was announced that Rudolph would undergo surgery for a sports hernia, requiring 6 weeks to recover.

Career Stats

Year Team Games Receptions Targets Receiving Yards Yards per Reception Longest Reception Receiving Touchdowns First Downs Fumbles Fumbles Lost
2011 MIN 15 26 39 249 9.6 41 3 14 0 0
2012 MIN 16 53 93 493 9.3 29 9 34 0 0
2013 MIN 8 30 46 313 10.4 31 3 12 0 0
Total Total 39 109 178 1,055 9.7 41 15 60 0 0

[13]

References

  1. ↑ "ESPN Profile". ESPN.com.
  2. ↑ 2007 All-Usa high school football team
  3. ↑ Rivals.com 2008 Prospect Rankings
  4. ↑ All American Bowl player bio
  5. ↑ Kyle Rudolph Named To Mackey Award Watch List
  6. ↑ Rudolph out with shoulder injury
  7. ↑ Paul M. Banks. "ND Tight End Kyle Rudolph Declares for NFL Draft | Chicago Sports Guru". Chicagonow.com. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  8. ↑ 82 Kyle Rudolph, TE Minnesota Vikings. "Kyle Rudolph, TE, Minnesota Vikings, NFL". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  9. ↑ "Kyle Rudolph Stats - Minnesota Vikings - ESPN". Espn.go.com. 1989-11-09. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  10. ↑ Wobschall, Mike. "Rudolph Selected To First Pro Bowl". Vikings.com. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  11. ↑ Mike Wobschall. "Vikings Blog | MVP! Rudolph Wins Pro Bowl MVP Honors". Blog.vikings.com. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  12. ↑ Goessling, Ben. "Kyle Rudolph, Vikings agree on deal". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
  13. ↑ "Kyle Rudolph Stats". ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 16 January 2014.

External links