A Different Connection To Kyle Rudolph
July 29th, 2022
Antoine Winfield, Jr.
Former Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph had an old friend/fan in the Bucs locker room when he landed here this week, even if he didn’t know it.
Pro Bowl safety Antoine Winfield, Jr., talked to Joe about growing up a Vikings fans — his dad was a Vikings Pro Bowler — and watching Rudolph since he was drafted by Minnesota in 2011, when Winfield was still 12 years old.
Then Winfield moved on to play for the University of Minnesota and got to spend time with Rudolph when the then-Pro Bowl tight end came to visit and address the Golden Gophers football team.
Winfield told Joe that he remembers the time with Rudolph vividly, which is not surprise given that Rudolph is a huge presence and a commanding speaker.
And yes, like other young Bucs players, Winfield looks around One Buc Palace and sees Rudolph and so many other long-established, big names and can’t stop smiling.
July 29th, 2022 at 12:36 pm
Kind of a cool transition story. AWSenior was with the Vikings until 2012. Rudolph was drafted by the Vikings in 2011. AWJunior was drafted here 2020. Rudolph is here likely in the last year or two of his career in 2022. Rudolph will have played on the same fields as both Senior and Junior…Senior in the twilight of his career, Junior early in his career. Life goes on.
July 29th, 2022 at 12:40 pm
And now he might get to take a shot or two at him on the practice field.
July 29th, 2022 at 12:57 pm
Cool story, and cool connections.
July 29th, 2022 at 1:01 pm
But……what about Gronk?
July 29th, 2022 at 1:13 pm
I will say it because Joe won’t, stfu Tampabatbucfan, if Joe wants to do 20 stories a day about gronk he will gtfoh.
July 29th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
Hopefully Rudolph shows how good BRADY is with TEs.
Rudolph just looks like a TE specimen in that pic talking to Brady.
I don’t even think the fans realize yet how blessed this football team is.
Talking about Julio Jones being washed up etc.
Be excited about the possibilities.
I’ve already compared his last 3 seasons to Randy Moss’s 3 seasons before Brady and they are almost identical.
What if Hainsey is a better run blocker that Jensen.
So many negative posts.
The other shoe might just not drop.
I envision a bunch of sad lonely fans.
July 29th, 2022 at 1:51 pm
Buccos, can you imagine going from Daniel Jones, to Brady? I expect good things from Rudolph this year. Almost a renaissance of sorts. He certainly won’t command a ton of attention with all the other weapons. Should be pitch and catch. I don’t think 50 catches for 5-600 yards is crazy to expect.
July 29th, 2022 at 3:12 pm
That’s the THING, especially this year, GOB. With our current stable of offensive skill position players, who the heck is going to be doubled or shutdown? DC’s are prolly gonna try to slow down Evans. As a DC, I’d be like, “I don’t know how we are gonna stop this O. Let’s hope for a great pass-rush…”
My only true concern at the moment is the O-Line. I trust the team to gel, but since it’s an unknown at the moment, exacerbated by the Jensen injury, if we can’t protect Brady, he will really start getting the ball out much faster. If that happens, our deeper passing game might suffer some.
That’s my only true concern at the moment. Let’s see how the injury bug hits us this season – if it’s light, we are good to go and should be in it at the end.
GO BUCS!!!
July 29th, 2022 at 3:20 pm
Let’s hope they can all stay healthy. Pretty sure that’s what cost us last year. GOBUCS!
July 29th, 2022 at 3:57 pm
The injury bug is in OBP like Mirsa.
July 30th, 2022 at 8:47 am
With so much size speed at wr and single coverage, a quick step or double move opens up some deep shots. And leaves guys open underneath. O line depth and RB pass protect is gonna be key. Will be interested in whether we see Ko Kief staying in to block.