Kyle Rudolph predicts Vikings to upset 49ers, praises Sam Darnold

Rudolph was a guest on Up & Adams Thursday and discussed the Vikings season opener and predicted his former team to pull off an upset this Sunday.

Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

For the second season in a row, the Vikings will pull off the upset and beat the 49ers this Sunday. That's according to former Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph.

Rudolph was a guest on Up & Adams with Kay Adams on Thursday and predicted, like he did last year, that Minnesota are going to pull off the upset this Sunday. San Francisco are currently listed as five point favorites, according to DraftKings.

"Yeah, I'm going to call it. I'm going with the Vikings again, they're going to knock them off," Rudolph told Kay Adams Thursday.

Rudolph, who spent 10 years in Minnesota before playing a year each for the Giants and Bucs, was also asked about his thoughts on the Vikings' 28-6 beat down of the Giants in Week . Rudolph expressed concern for Giants QB Daniel Jones while coming away impressed by the Vikings and Sam Darnold.

"The Daniel Jones I saw in that game was not the Daniel Jones that I watched take them to the divisional round of the playoffs. It's not the guy that I played with for a year. His confidence looks completely destroyed, and how can you blame him? Every time he goes out there he's fighting for his life," said Rudolph on the Giants QB. "That wasn't the guy that I know, that I know he can be."

As for Darnold's Vikings debut, Rudolph said, "You gotta like what you saw from Sam."

"He was efficient. He did all of the things that I said you need to do if you're going to instill confidence in Daniel Jones. You think about Sam Darnold in his career, the adversity and struggles he had in New York (and) in Carolina. Ultimately, he goes into a situation in San Francisco, gets to spend time around an incredible play caller in a very similar offense to the one he's running now with Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota. ... This could be Baker Mayfield situation from Tampa last year."

"Sam's got nothing to lose," Rudolph continued. "He can go out there and he can play. He can prove that 'To this point in my career, I haven't shown I can be a guy in this league, to be a starting quarterback. And now, I'm playing in an offense in which it allows me to be successful. I've got playmakers all over the place.'"

Rudolph also expressed admiration for the Vikings' defense that held the Giants to just 240 total yards on Sunday.

"You see what Brian Flores is building. He's getting a lot of his guys there, that fit his scheme," said Rudolph.