The Vikings will induct the 25th person into the team's Ring of Honor tonight, but Steve Jordan will also be the first of his kind.
Jordan, who played all 13 of his NFL seasons in Purple, will be the first tight end to have his name overlook the field from U.S. Bank Stadium's upper level.
Minnesota's current veteran tight end, Kyle Rudolph, couldn't be happier.
"He's the first tight end in this franchise's history to go into the Ring of Honor," Rudolph said. "Not to necessarily say it's overdue, but it's very well-deserved. If anyone is the first tight end in the Ring of Honor, it should be Steve.
"I've seen a few clips from his playing days, and I always try to make sure I catch up and say hi to him and talk to him when he's in town. Obviously, he was a great player, but he was an extremely successful businessman post-football," Rudolph added. "Just picking his brain … I've enjoyed talking to him and getting to know him. I'm very happy for him."
Jordan ranks third in team history with 498 career receptions and is sixth in yards with 6,307 yards. He is also tied for eighth all-time (with Stefon Diggs) with 28 touchdown catches.
Jordan's 176 regular-season games played rank 14th in team history, and his 149 career starts rank fourth. From 1986-91, Jordan led all tight ends in the NFL with 287 receptions and 3,885 receiving yards. He was third among tight ends with 21 touchdowns in that span.
Rudolph has surpassed Jordan in touchdowns with 42, recording his most-recent score on his 400th career reception last week at Detroit. He needs one more catch to break a tie with Ahmad Rashad for sole possession of sixth place in team history.
"It just means I've been here a long time," Rudolph said with a laugh. "That's really about it. Hopefully I can catch far more balls than just 400 and keep playing for a long time."
Rudolph is now in his 10th season in Purple. He has 14 catches for 130 yards entering Week 8.
"The years have flown by. To think I've been here for almost a decade is kind of wild," Rudolph said. "I still feel like [my rookie season of] 2011 was yesterday.
"It goes really fast, and you lose sight of that, especially throughout the course of the year," Rudolph added. "Weeks just seem to fly by … all of a sudden we're halfway done with the year [after Week 8]."
We caught up with Rudolph to talk about his thoughts on #PrimetimePurple uniforms that are giving the Vikings a purple-on-purple look for the sixth time in team history and first since 2016. We also asked about the addition of a son to his family and being a "sports fan at heart."
Q: The Vikings are wearing #PrimetimePurple uniforms tonight. Are you a fan of them, and do the players get any extra juice wearing the threads?
A: "I think there is an added excitement anytime you mix something up like that. I'm definitely a fan of the all-purple."
Q: You're one of the bigger guys on the team, so you can pull off the look, right?
A: "I think we look good. #PrimetimePurple is definitely a better look for the bigger guys than all-white. But I think we look good in them."
Q: You have twin daughters and added a son, Henry, in July. Is it nice to have another guy in the Rudolph house?
A: "It's fun. He's a little man, for sure, and we're extremely fortunate and blessed he's happy and healthy. His sisters just adore him, and you can tell he's the little prince of the house. He's super laid-back and relaxed."
Q: Did it change a lot going from two kids to three?
A: "A little bit. We had to go from man-to-man, 2-on-2, to a little bit of zone coverage."
Q: You went to the Masters for the first time in April. Was that an incredible experience?
A: "It was unbelievable. And we arguably got to see one of the best Masters ever. To see Tiger [Woods] come back after not winning a major in 10 years … I was only 16 when he almost made a hole-in-one and tap-in for birdie and a two-shot lead. Those are things, as a sports fan, that you'll never forget."
Q: What's your personal favorite golf memory? Do you have a hole-in-one?
"No hole-in-one. I probably have to say being at the Masters."
A: You were named MVP of the Celebrity Crunch Classic when the Final Four was in town and were coached by Hall of Famer Charles Barkley. What's his personality like?
"It was a ton of fun. Everybody played equal time until the fourth quarter, but then you could tell Charles wanted to win. He put our five-best players out there, and we stayed in. It was a ton of fun for me to be back out on the basketball court."
Q: Did you ask Barkley for any golf tips?
A: "No. [laughs]."
Q: How much do you enjoy taking in sporting events such as the Masters or the Final Four as a fan?
A: "I was a sports fan far before I was a professional athlete, and that sports fan inside of me will never leave. Being able to go to the Final Four or the Masters … or even around town, going to the Timberwolves, Wild, Twins games … it's something I really enjoy. I have season tickets to the Timberwolves because I like going. Sporting events are something that, no matter what level or how long I play football, I'll always be a fan of sports."
