Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph is certainly no spring chicken. Regardless, he is adamant that Father Time still has yet to sink his claws into him.
There is some speculation regarding his future in Minnesota as he enters the final year of his contract. According to Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune, he feels he is still in the best years of his career:
“When you've played a lot of football in this league and your name's been around a long time, everyone just assumes you're in your mid-30s and on your way out,” Rudolph said Tuesday. “That's not the case with me. I feel like I'm just now starting to get into the prime of my career. I was at the Masters this weekend, so I'll use a golf analogy: I feel like I haven't hit the back nine yet. I still feel like I have a lot of football left and, as the sweatshirt said, a lot of game left.”
Rudolph's comments are certainly understandable. Players are usually considered to be in the final stretch of their careers by the time they hit 30. Fortunately, modern advances in training and diet have allowed athletes to extend the prime of their careers. It is clear that Rudolph feels he is one of them.
He is coming off another productive year as the Vikings starter. Rudolph finished the 2018 campaign with 64 receptions for 634 yards and four touchdowns after establishing himself as a bit of a safety net for quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Although he may not produce the most mind-boggling numbers, he has still established an integral role for himself in both the run game and the passing game over the years.
Rudolph is set to turn 30 in November and it remains to be seen whether or not he is part of the Vikings long-term plans.
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