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While the Patriots have 19 veterans who have known nothing but the AFC Championship Game in their careers, it doesn’t work that way for most players. That’s the message Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has stressed to his team this week.

Zimmer made it to the NFC Championship Game in his first two NFL seasons as a Dallas assistant coach, with the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl in 1995. That was Zimmer’s last trip to the title game.

“Coach Zimmer was talking to us this morning,’’ Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said, via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “He talked about his first year in Dallas, they go to the NFC Championship in 1994. Then go back in 1995. He hasn’t been back since 1995. I think I was just out of diapers in 1995.

“It teaches us that we can portray that message especially to the young guys. We have such a young team that this doesn’t happen all of the time. We have a great opportunity, and we should make the most of it.’’