Xavier Rhodes says goodbye to Vikings on Instagram

After a seven-year stretch with the Vikings, cornerback Xavier Rhodes is starting fresh after signing with the Indianapolis Colts last week.

On Sunday morning, the cornerback said goodbye to Minnesota and the Vikings organization:

View this post on Instagram

Thank you Minnesota! While the time has come to start a new chapter, I’ll never forget the past 7 seasons! Thank you to the Vikings organization for believing in me on that draft day in 2013, a moment I’ll forever cherish. You gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, thank you! And to my coaches and teammates, this journey would not have been the same without your support and motivation that not only made me the player I am today, but the person I am today. And to the fans, the energy you brought to each game day was unbeatable. I was proud to wear the Vikings jersey and play for each and every one of you! Thank you all! #Skol

A post shared by Xavier Rhodes (@_xavier29) on Mar 29, 2020 at 7:21am PDT

While the last two seasons for Rhodes were rocky, the majority of his time in Minnesota was a huge success. In 2016 and 2017, he was at the peak of his powers, shutting down nearly every receiver that he went up against. Rhodes was the 25th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Rhodes signed a one-year, $5 million “prove it” deal with the Colts (you could do a lot worse than $5 million on a prove-it deal). The Vikings bought Rhodes out to save cap room, but were open to bringing Rhodes back.

A fresh start is probably best for both sides.

We’ll see if the 29-year-old can turn things around in Indianapolis.