Guess Who Caught the Final TD Pass of Tom Brady’s Career?
When NFL historians, or anybody for that matter, reference leaderboards to determine, for example, who has the most rushing touchdowns of all time or the most sacks in NFL history, the regular season is used for the tabulation — and the postseason isn’t included.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady retired on Wednesday, ending a 23-season career, stuffed to the gills with seven Super Bowl rings and gobs of “best of all-time” statistical accolades.
Guess Who Caught the Final TD Pass of Tom Brady’s Career?
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And when history peels back the final chapter on Brady’s career, folks will find that former Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph caught Brady’s final regular season touchdown.
That’s right. In the Buccaneers Week 18 game at the Atlanta Falcons, Rudolph grabbed an 8-yard pass out of the sky for Brady’s last paydirt.
Brady threw two touchdowns in Tampa Bay’s Wildcard Round loss to the Dallas Cowboys a week later, but generally speaking, those aren’t recorded for the “who has the most of all-time” leaderboards.
The Vikings drafted Rudolph in the 2nd Round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and the Notre Dame alumnus instantly became a purple and gold staple. He ranks first in Vikings history among tight ends in receiving touchdowns (48) and second in receiving yards (4,448). Rudolph left the Vikings via free agency in 2021 for a one-year pit stop with the New York Giants before joining Brady in Tampa for a final hurrah. It is unclear if Rudolph, 33, will retire like Brady this offseason.
Rudolph appeared on Fox News Channel’s America’s Newsroom Wednesday to commemorate Brady’s career, “Certainly, when I came down here this season, I had hoped to catch a lot more than just one touchdown pass from Tom. But to be able to have his last regular-season touchdown pass, to just be a part of the 1/99th of the guys he threw touchdown passes to throughout his career, it’s pretty special.”
“I was able to learn so much from him and the way that he approaches the game and daily life in general. It’s been an absolute honor for me. Even though things may have not gone the way we planned this year, just to say I got to play with him and see him go to work was incredible,” Rudolph added.
The Vikings play the Buccaneers next season at U.S. Bank Stadium. Brady won’t be the team’s QB1, and Rudolph, a free agent, may or may not be on Tampa Bay’s depth chart. But he does have the unique distinction of hauling in the GOAT’s final touchdown.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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