Harrison Smith Still Has Football Left, per Kyle Sloter
Sloter, who was a backup quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings for 4 years, recently joined the Vikings Playbook Podcast to discuss training camp topics and shared insights from a recent golf outing with longtime Vikings safety Harrison Smith.
Harrison Smith never had a farewell like C.J. Ham or Adam Thielen did, and may not have one. He got the standing ovation pause in the game during the Vikings’ final regular season game in 2025 against the Green Bay Packers, in what felt like could be the curtain call for the Minnesota Vikings legend.
I want to see him on the field one last time personally, and think this team could really use him for one last ride as we develop the young rookie who could learn under him in Jakobe Thomas who was drafted in the 3rd round, and there are still questions at another safety position with Theo Jackson and Jay Ward to go with Josh Metellus with a defensive coordinator Brian Flores scheme that runs some looks with 3 safety’s.
Away from football, Harrison Smith is known as a great golfer, and when he was in the Twin Cities area a few weeks ago, Sloter spent time golfing with him.
Kyle Sloter Talks Golf and Harrison Smith
Before asking Kyle Sloter football questions, I had to know one thing first.
“What was the handicap?”
We settled around a 15 handicap for Sloter, but Sloter described Smith as an outstanding golfer and that they didn’t talk too much about football. For us Vikings fans, the bigger takeaway came from our discussion of Harrison Smith’s future.
He believes Harrison Smith, who has spent all 14 years of his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings, still has the ability to play in the NFL. Physically, the talent remains. Mentally, however, Sloter believes Smith may have reached a point where he’s comfortable with everything he’s accomplished. Still, Sloter isn’t ruling out a return.
Veteran players often dislike the grind of organized team activities and lengthy training camps because they already know how to play the game, says Sloter. For many longtime veterans, preserving their bodies becomes just as important as preparing for the season.
Because of that, Sloter believes there’s a realistic scenario where Smith waits until a few weeks into the regular season before making a decision. If the Vikings prove they’re legitimate contenders, he didn’t seem to be shocked if the legendary safety finds himself wearing purple once again.
Sloter’s Lasting Appreciation for Minnesota and Harrison Smith
Although his NFL playing career has taken him around the league, Kyle Sloter made it clear that Minnesota still holds a special place in his heart.
He expressed how much he appreciates Vikings fans and admitted he misses playing football every single day. In his playing days, Sloter said Harrison Smith is easily the toughest player he has gone up against in practice or in a game. His best attributes, Sloter said, are Harrison’s physical gifts, but if you asked him, he would say his best attributes are what he has between the ears.
“His football IQ and innate ability of knowing where to be. It felt like every time the ball left your hand, he was either around it, breaking it up, or picking it off. He is really, really special player, a first-ballot Hall of Famer in my mind, and a top-2 safety of all time.”
For Vikings fans preparing for another fascinating training camp at Twin Cities Orthopedic, Sloter offered a thoughtful perspective from someone who has lived in an NFL locker room with Harrison, is friends with him off the field, and can speak as a veteran football player. As fans of the “Hitman” we can only hope he has one more in him before he walks off into the sunset.
