Harrison Smith Has Spoken
K. Joudry
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We should pay attention when Harrison Smith speaks. After all, we’re talking about someone who has spent a dozen NFL seasons establishing himself as a legend in Minnesota. Plus, he’s gearing up for his thirteenth season in 2024.
The man has seen some things.
The NFL recently made the controversial decision to ban hip-drop tackles (Ian Rapoport was among those to relay the word). Doing so is meant to further protect offensive players. Is there a point, though, when the rules get pushed too far? Football is a violent game, meaning injuries are simultaneously an inevitable and unfortunate reality. Are defenders being tasked with carrying a disproportionately heavy burden within the genuinely admirable goal of making the game safer?
Harrison Smith Offers His Two Cents on NFL Rule Change
A quick refresher on the player’s resume.
Since being selected 29th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, Harrison Smith has played in 176 NFL games, starting 175. He has piled up 1,039 tackles in his career to stand alongside his 34 interceptions, 19.5 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, and 45 tackles for loss. He has gone to the Pro Bowl 6 times and was a first-team All Pro in 2017 before being a second-team All Pro in 2018. The 2017 season featured Smith finishing 4th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
So, Smith deserves respect, both from fans and from the league itself.
The veteran safety went to social media to offer his thoughts on the rule change. In fact, Smith offers a multipronged response that features a trio of categories: human, business person, and Hitman. Take a look:
Notably, Smith offered up that breakdown in response to a question. There’s wisdom in going to the league’s most accomplished, veteran players for their insight.
The second perspective — Smith in his role as a business person — seems likely to be accurate. After all, the NFL is supremely concerned with making money. It is their raison d’être, the core reason for their existence. The NFL, as we’re constantly reminded, is a business.
But then one thinks about that final point. The Hitman’s job is going to be more difficult on Sundays. Getting fined isn’t something that any player wants but the more direct impact for fans will be if the “true sport weakens.” Will there be a negative impact to the game itself by outlawing a certain type of tackle?
No doubt, the game has become difficult for defenders with some of the rule changes even as we can all agree that minimizing injuries is an admirable goal that needs to be pursued. Smith’s varied response shines a light on the different angles that can be present all at once.
Earlier in the offseason, Harrison Smith agreed to a restructured deal that will allow him to stick around Minnesota for his thirteenth season. His cap charge now comes in at a very manageable $7,315,882. Many expect 2024 to be Smith’s final season in the NFL. The safety turned 35 on February 2nd.
Josh Metellus, a starting safety alongside Smith, also shared his thoughts on the rule change.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.