Kyle Rudolph hasn’t formally retired from the NFL, but it certainly sounds as if his playing days are behind him. The longtime Minnesota Vikings tight end who played the past two seasons with the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is headed for a NBC Sports broadcast booth.
Rudolph told The Athletic that his ties to Notre Dame, where he played in college, have helped him secure an opportunity to call select Big Ten football games on NBC this fall.
“One-hundred percent. It was without question the reason why,” Rudolph said. “I’m an anomaly, played 12 years in the NFL before starting my next chapter, but Notre Dame was still there opening doors and giving me opportunities.”
The 2023 Big Ten football season will include a broadcast on NBC every Saturday night that will feature 14-16 games on NBC and nine more that stream exclusively on Peacock.
Rudolph was an analyst for Notre Dame’s spring game that stream on Peacock in April and he called USFL games on NBC Sports during the most recent season.
A second-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Rudolph spent the first 10 seasons of his career in Minnesota before he was released prior to the 2021 season. He ranks sixth in franchise history with 453 receptions and 48 touchdowns and his 4,488 receiving yards is 11th in team history.
