Harrison Smith could be playing his final game for the Minnesota Vikings in their Week 18 game against the Green Bay Packers. The veteran safety will be 37 years old when the 2026 NFL season starts, but retirement isn’t a given yet, considering he can still play at a high level.
In the Week 17 win over the Detroit Lions, Smith recorded three tackles, one sack, and one interception as the Vikings’ defense put on a show on Christmas Day. Moreover, Smith has had 37 solo tackles, 17 assisted tackles, 1.0 sack, one fumble recovery, and two interceptions in 14 games this season, per StatMuse.
Nonetheless, it will be up to the player whether he wants to put his body through the grind of another NFL season.
While there will be plenty of time to decide on his future, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke on the December 30 edition of “X’s and O’s with Kevin O’Connell” and shared his thoughts on Smith.
“It’s hard to even compare him to anybody else, just because he’s so uniquely Harrison, and he’s never tried to be anybody else, but authentically who he is,” O’Connell said. “That’s been the best part about it, because he is a person that I enjoy my friendship and my relationship with personally.”
Kevin O’Connell Details Relationship With Harrison Smith
O’Connell has been coaching Smith since 2022, and he went into detail about what this experience has meant for him, leaning on the veteran.
“He’s taught me a lot,” O’Connell added. “We have some really awesome conversations every Friday morning, and very rarely is it about football, but he’s smart. He’s incredibly thoughtful in his approach to not only football, but life, and he takes that serious in regards to his leadership role on this team.
“He’s got his own personal way of his touch points with players and people in this building. If every organization could have a Harrison Smith, they’d be doing pretty well. I’m just so fortunate to have had this time with him and hope to have a little bit more as well.”
Vikings’ Harrison Smith Is Living In the Moment
After the Vikings’ win over the Dallas Cowboys on December 14, Smith was asked by the “Sunday Night Football“ panel on NBC regarding his future. Nonetheless, Smith wanted to enjoy the ride and live in the moment as the team is riding a four-game win streak into the last game of the season.
“I’m just enjoying day by day,“ Smith said (h/t Vikings Territory). “You know how it is, when you’re getting towards your later years, it’s harder to go to practice, harder to get ready to go every time. On gameday, I always feel ready. I’ve always been on top of my body — my nutrition. Everything. It’s not fancy or anything, but you stay on top of it — it stacks up over the years.”
If the game against the Packers is indeed Smith’s last, he will be hoping to ride off into the sunset with an impressive performance like the one against the Lions. Furthermore, Smith will want to leave the game riding a win.
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