It’s easy for Kyle Rudolph to explain how Vikings coach Mike Zimmer gets the most out of his players. His best example is himself.
In Sunday’s 22-10 statement win against the Panthers, the sixth-year tight end caught seven passes for 70 yards, including the touchdown that put the Vikings on top for good. But a year ago, Rudolph was frustrated. He was catching just a couple passes per game and felt like he wasn’t contributing in a meaningful way. During the bye week last October, Zimmer called him into his office.
“He sat me down and laid out all these other ways I can help the team win, whether it was run blocking or helping tackles in pass protection so that we can throw the ball downfield,” Rudolph says.