Former Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph and his family are picking up the pieces after their Florida home was hammered by storms from Hurricane Helene last week.
“This past week, our family experienced the impact of Helene’s storm surge, which flooded our home in Tampa. While we lost most of our belongings, including many of our kids’ things, we’ve come away from this experience feeling incredibly fortunate,” Rudolph wrote in a personal message on X (formerly Twitter) on October 4.
Helene, a Category 4 hurricane pulverized the Florida panhandle, leaving parts of Tampa Bay in ruin. The death toll in Tampa Bay is 12, while more than a thousand people were rescued and tens of thousands saw damages to their homes — the result of the worst hurricane to hit the area in 103 years.
For the Rudolphs, who called Minnesota home for 12 years, they’re grateful for the support they’ve received from the community.
“The outpouring of support from our friends and the Tampa community has been nothing short of amazing. From people showing up to help, to toys and games for the kids, to the many messages and prayers, we’ve been deeply touched by the kindness and generosity around us,” Rudolph added in his X post.
“In times like these you realize the true strength of the people around you. We are so thankful for everyone who has reached out or offered a helping hand. Tampa has more than validated our decision to make it our home and we are forever grateful for this community of people!”
The 2011 second-round pick, Rudolph played 10 years for the Vikings, earning two Pro Bowl nods in the process. He played his final season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022 before announcing his retirement in September 2023
‘I Got So Lucky:’ Kyle Rudolph Reflects on Landing With Vikings
GettyKyle Rudolph bid farewell to the Vikings.
The top-ranked tight end coming out of the 2011 draft, Rudolph had his sights on being a first-round pick, a dream of any college prospect. However, he slid past several tight end-needy teams he spoke with in the pre-draft process as his viewing part was spoiled after a quiet Day 1 of the draft.
“Party over, dream over. I was pretty devastated,” Rudolph wrote in his Players Tribune “Dear Minnesota” piece.
The Vikings surprised him the next day. Brimming with veteran tight end talent like Visanthe Shiancoe and Jim Kleinsasser, Minnesota selected Rudolph 43rd overall.
“I’ll be honest: It seemed a little random at the time,” Rudolph wrote. “Looking back on it now, though?? I’ve come to understand something about that moment… I got so lucky.”
The Vikings did, too.
Rudolph pieced together an illustrious career as the franchise record holder for most receiving touchdowns (47) by a tight end. He is second in career receptions (425) and receiving yards (4,215), behind only Steve Jordan.
Kyle Rudolph Remains Involved in Minnesota
Despite moving, Rudolph’s roots remain deep in Minnesota.
He hosts a football camp annually at the Vikings training facilities in Eagan, Minnesota. Rudolph also participated in the Vikings’ annual golf fundraiser.
He’s made a career pivot into broadcasting as an analyst and hosts a radio show with Fox Sports.
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