On Wednesday, Minnesota Vikings star tight end Kyle Rudolph was notified via Twitter that some gloves he wore during the Vikings’ playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints had been sold on ebay, prompting Rudolph to note that a member of the media had asked for them in order to make a donation to charity before Rudolph himself discovered they had been sold on eBay.
Rudolph was alerted: “You probably already heard this, but looks like someone sold your gloves from the Saints playoff game on ebay already. Hope they didn’t deceive you for a quick buck.”
@KyleRudolph82 You probably already heard this, but looks like someone sold your gloves from the Saints playoff game on ebay already. Hope they didn’t deceive you for a quick buck. pic.twitter.com/CcRlfMcKVl
— Nate Baustad (@flamingbagofpoo) January 8, 2020
Rudolph responded, “I saw this.. it’s disappointing. A member of the media in the locker room after the game asked if he could have my gloves for a charity benefit, so I said of course and I will even sign them for you! Well he got me, sold on eBay 3 days later..”
I saw this.. it’s disappointing. A member of the media in the locker room after the game asked if he could have my gloves for a charity benefit, so I said of course and I will even sign them for you! Well he got me, sold on eBay 3 days later.. https://t.co/JCTO0OWM5n
— Kyle Rudolph (@KyleRudolph82) January 8, 2020
Rudolph added, “And to clarify it was not anyone I knew.. so wasn’t a local reporter I see daily or national reporter. Locker room was a zoo, he asked for them, I said of course and even offered to sign them…”
And to clarify it was not anyone I knew.. so wasn't a local reporter I see daily or national reporter. Locker room was a zoo, he asked for them, I said of course and even offered to sign them… https://t.co/fCdU4RlhnP
— Kyle Rudolph (@KyleRudolph82) January 8, 2020
Then the story took a surprise twist: a Vikings fan tweeted, “I’m the guy who bought them. I will gladly donate to a charity of your choice.”
@KyleRudolph82 I’m the guy who bought them. I will gladly donate to a charity of your choice.
— Jason King (@kingy1940) January 8, 2020
Rudolph responded, “Hey, Jason, really cool of you to do this! @UMNCHildrens will greatly appreciate it and I will make sure to get you my pair from this weekends game!”
Hey Jason, really cool of you to do this! @UMNChildrens will greatly appreciate it and I will make sure to get you my pair from this weekends game!
— Kyle Rudolph (@KyleRudolph82) January 8, 2020
King replied, “Thanks Kyle hopefully I can help turn this into a good situation and help raise some money for the children’s hospital.”
Thanks Kyle hopefully I can help turn this into a good situation and help raise some money for the children’s hospital
— Jason King (@kingy1940) January 8, 2020
UMN Masonic Children’s Hospital added, “Hey Jason! What a kindhearted thing to do for the children and families under our care. DM us and we’d be happy to connect with you.”
Hey Jason! What a kindhearted thing to do for the children and families under our care. DM us and we'd be happy to connect with you.
— M Health Fairview UMN Masonic Children’s Hospital (@UMNChildrens) January 8, 2020
Last Sunday, Rudolph made the game-winning touchdown catch as the Vikings defeated the Saints in overtime. In December he was named the Vikings 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, after which he told the media at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital: “Everybody’s kind of been wondering what’s gone into the Vikings offense … and why all of a sudden I started catching a bunch of touchdowns. Now I can tell you a secret – I have Megan’s bracelet right here, on my wrist.”
Then he smiled at Megan, 9, who is facing heart failure due to complications after beating cancer, as Vikings.com reported.
Vikings.com continued:
Kyle surprised Megan with a framed photograph of the one-handed touchdown grab he made against the Cowboys in Week 10. Holding the photo up, he pointed at the print to his right hand that held the football. There, the thin yellow bracelet – which reads #MEGANSTRONG – is visible below Kyle’s white glove.
Rudolph stated. “You can see right here that it’s not any Stickum on the gloves, and it’s not any talent that I have; it’s a little yellow bracelet right there, on the wrist, of the one-handed catch. So, we have Megan to thank for all those touchdowns over the past six weeks … I just need to ask her why it took me so long to get me a bracelet. Because since I’ve had it, I can’t stay out of the end zone.”