4 things to expect from the Vikings tight ends in 2020
By Dustin Baker
3. Rudolph will continue to be Kirk Cousins’ clutch time confidant
In the last 20 years, Kyle Rudolph has scored more fourth-quarter receiving touchdowns than anybody in the Vikings organization. Rudolph has hauled in 20 such touchdowns since he entered the NFL in 2011. To offer legitimacy on how impressive this feat is, longtime Vikings running back scored 21 fourth-quarter touchdowns during his 10 years with Minnesota. And by design, sure-fire Hall of Fame tailbacks generally have more scores than tight ends. Kudos to Rudolph.
Kirk Cousins–and purple signal-callers before him–trust Rudolph down the stretch. That is not a character trait that vanishes as one grows older. In fact, the clutch gene usually grows more dependable as a player matures into his 30s. That’s where Rudolph is at; he will be 31 years-old in November. If Rudolph is to display an intensified level of clutch play, well, opposing defenses should shudder.
It should be noted that none of this is to discount Irv Smith Jr.’s potential. He, too, could be clutch. But we already know that Rudolph as it in him.