Harrison Smith Was Quite Emotional After the Game
The Minnesota Vikings have played their final contest of the 2024 campaign. The entire roster is headed into the offseason, at least until April when the offseason program begins, but for one Viking, the holidays might not end anytime soon.
Harrison Smith Was Quite Emotional After the Game
Safety Harrison Smith has been fun to watch for over a decade, but his journey as a professional football player could be over. The postseason game was his 200th with the Vikings, and at the age of 35 (36 in February), his retirement could be on the horizon.
After the tough defeat, he gave some obligatory interviews in the locker room, perhaps for a final time. He was emotional.
“Appreciate the Vikings nation, everything they’ve always meant to me. Thank you,” Smith told Ben Leber (KFAN).
That comment surely sounded like it was the end of the road for The Hitman.
Smith added, “There’s a lot that goes into this. It’s not strictly players. I just want to give my thanks to everybody that makes it go. Obviously, I wish we could’ve had a better result today, but it’s a tough pill to swallow right now. It’s been one of the most fun teams I’ve ever played on in any level. There’s a lot to be said about this group, and I really just wish I had a couple more weeks with them, to be honest.”
Most Vikings fans also expected a win in Glendale, Arizona, over the Los Angeles Rams, resulting in a meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. However, the NFL tournament doesn’t accept any mistakes like a seven-game NBA series, and a single loss concludes the season.
Smith once again captained a decent defense, something the Vikings haven’t had in a while. This year, however, the club finished with top-five rankings in numerous categories like EPA/Play or points allowed.
When asked about his future, the veteran left a door open, “I don’t know. Probably chill out for a little bit, figure that out down the road.”
Smith has played in 200 games, collecting almost 1,200 tackles, 37 interceptions, and 20.5 sacks over the years.
“I haven’t wanted to think about it, kind of selfishly live in the moment, and I’m kind of still in that moment. It’ll come when it comes,” Smith expressed.
The 2012 first-rounder has never intended to be in the spotlight. Like last year, when he realized free agency was around the corner and seemingly spontaneously decided to give it another shot. He came back without much of an announcement.
At some point in the next weeks or months, Smith will either quietly return or quietly retire. That’s how the man does business.
There’s another interview in which Smith was visibly shaken up while talking about his teammates.
Smith has been a class act his entire career, never causing any headaches on or off the field, taking pay cuts when the team asked him to in the last couple of offseasons, all while being a Hall of Fame-worthy football player.
Rick Spielman selected him with the 29th overall pick in 2012 to handle the safety duties in Leslie Frazier’s defense. When the power was transferred to Mike Zimmer, he became one of the best defensive backs of his generation, and his play remained steady, even during his age-35 season in 2024.
Few players have earned their introduction into Minnesota’s Ring of Honor as Smith has, and it won’t take long until his name is displayed in U.S. Bank Stadium.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt