Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tight End Retires From NFL

After 12 seasons played, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kyle Rudolph is retiring from the NFL.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kyle Rudolph is retiring from the NFL after 12 seasons played. He spent nine games in Tampa last season, which was ultimately his farewell tour.

The two-time Pro Bowl tight end will make his retirement official as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, the team in which he spent the majority of his career with, according to Jordan Shultz. Outside of his ten years with the Vikings, he spent one season with the New York Giants, and, obviously, his last season with the Buccaneers. 

The former second-round pick caught three of his five targets last season, finding the end zone just one time. For his entire career, he tallied 4,773 receiving yards and punched home 50 touchdowns on 482 catches.

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During Rudolph's last season, in which he spent with legendary quarterback Tom Brady, the Buccaneers struggled to put points on the board. The team went all in for the 2020 Super Bowl and felt the repercussions of that throughout the rest of Brady's Buccaneers tenure. Rudolph was signed to help make a positive offensive impact, but his arrival came at a time where the offense continually struggled.

A return didn't seem in the cards for Rudolph after last season. His production had dipped each year since he left the Vikings, and Brady's retirement sent the Buccaneers into a world of unknown. Evidently, it doesn't make sense for a veteran like Rudolph to be a part of this team. 

Rudolph announced to Peter King of Monday Morning Quarterback that he would be retiring. He also provided insight on what was next for him.

“I played for so long and earned a veteran status,” Rudolph told King. “Now I’m a rookie getting as many reps as I can in the media world. This off-season is about, ‘Where do I fit in?’ The NBC job doing games on Peacock is cool. And talking about the storylines of the day in the NFL on Sunday nights will be cool, too.”

It's not uncommon for former athletes to join the world of media after their retirements, and he, like Brady, will be able to thrive in the broadcast booth.

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