EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JANUARY 09: Kyle Rudolph #80 of the New York Giants is tackled by Darryl Roberts #34 of the Washington Football Team in the first quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on January 09, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph announced on Twitter this morning that he has been released by the New York Giants.
Rudolph’s release was expected and will be the first of several cuts the Giants will have to make in the next two weeks in order to get under the salary cap. By cutting the 32-year-old tight end, New York saves $5 million in cap space while eating $2.4 million in dead money.
Rudolph appeared in 16 games with 13 starts for the Giants in 2021, but his production (26 receptions, 257 yards, one touchdown) was paltry coming off foot surgery and he appeared a shell of the impactful player he once was in Minnesota.
Still, the two-time Pro Bowler left a classy message for the organization and its fans on social media today.
“Giants fans thanks for taking me and my family in this past year! Certainly not the year any of us expected, but a year we will never forget,” Rudolph wrote. “We’re appreciative of the Mara and Tisch Families for giving us the opportunity to be a Giant. Thanks to everyone in the building who took in and helped this old guy who needed to relearn everything about a new organization.
“Finally my teammates, in my 11 years in this league I’m not sure I’ve been around a closer group of guys! We may not have got the results we deserved, but that didn’t keep us from going to work together everyday! Looking forward to what’s next!!”
We may not have got the results we deserved, but that didn't keep us from going to work together everyday!
Looking forward to what's next!!
— Kyle Rudolph (@KyleRudolph) March 2, 2022
We may not have got the results we deserved, but that didn't keep us from going to work together everyday!
Looking forward to what's next!!
— Kyle Rudolph (@KyleRudolph) March 2, 2022
While Rudolph is definitely in the twilight of his career, he hasn’t given any indication he’s hanging up his cleats.
Most likely, he’ll survey any opportunities on the free agent market before making a decision on his future.
