‘The Horrible One’ Is Already a Fan-Favorite in Minnesota
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings employ Harrison Smith, Harrison Hand, and signed Harrison Phillips on Monday.
And the new guy is horrible.
That’s his nickname — Horrible Harry.
Seeking to replace Michael Pierce, who was released by the Vikings and subsequently signed by the Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota acquired Phillips, a defensive tackle from the Buffalo Bills.
Phillips joins the organization on a three-year, $19.5 million price tag, so he’ll be around for a while. And that’s good news for Vikings fans because the Horrible guy is already tweeting and saying all the right things.
Foremost, fans of the Bills lamented his exodus from Buffalo — always a good sign for the new team. Plus, Bills fans are particularly rowdy, assigned a mafia nickname to their stable. If they endorse Phillips as a player, he’s probably a decent human for a defense needing immediate repair.
Despite reckless adjectives like horrible, Phillips is actually a stand-up man, earning Walter Payton Man of the Year recognition in Buffalo.
He’s also a fan of The Office, one of the most-mentioned shows on the planet via social media. In that regard, Phillips is relatable.
Too, Phillips is already engaging with the Vikings community, even asking a popular podcast when he can swing by for a chat (although he has since deleted the tweet presumably due to an onslaught of direct messages).
Here’s the man in the flesh:
Phillips also packs an impressive resume, per Pro Football Focus:
- 2018 = 64.0
- 2019 = 83.2
- 2020 = 61.7
- 2021 = 77.4
In 2021 with the Bills, he played on 55% of all defensive snaps, a percentage that figures to spike with the Vikings.
He has large shoes to fill as the last guy, Pierce, was pretty damn lovable, too. The Vikings evidently enjoy employing jolly defensive tackles — from Linval Joseph, Pierce, to Phillips.
Finally, some of the fan reaction via Twitter:
And more:
Phillips was a 3rd-Round Draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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