Harrison Smith Makes It Official
Harrison Smith already turned 36 this offseason, an elderly age for an NFL safety, especially one as habitually violent as him.
Harrison Smith Makes It Official
And in offseason rampant with “Will he or won’t he?” retirement fodder, Smith has decided to return to the Vikings, the franchise that drafted him 13 years ago.
NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero tweeted Wednesday evening, “Six-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith will return for a 14th NFL season, agreeing to terms today on a new contract with the Vikings, per sources. At age 36, Smith is still playing at a high level and can now add to his hall of fame resume.”
The contract is $10.25 million base with incentives up to $14 million.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is also back in the saddle for 2025, perhaps a major factor in Smith’s decision. Vikings fans will be eager to see Smith cross paths with quarterback J.J. McCarthy, at least for one season.
Smith played 1,011 defensive snaps in 2024, logging 87 total tackles, 10 passes defended, 3 interceptions, 3 tackles for loss, and a sack. He also banked a commendable 67.7 Pro Football Focus grade.
Some predicted Smith’s return, too. KSTP Darren Wolfson was among them last month.
“Smith can still play, and I don’t think the Vikings need to break the bank to bring him back. They can figure out the money. I get it. He’s had to take pay cuts the last couple years. So, to me, there’s interest in him playing at a reasonable number. I just think it makes all sorts of sense,” Wolfson said on SKOR North airwaves in January.
The longtime Viking did not feature a performance-related decline in 2024, and in fact, often felt vital to the defense’s back end. In theory, if Smith were holding on by threads and struggling every Sunday, few would care about his retirement decision. But that doesn’t apply, not to Smith.
Wolfson added, “I continue to think there isn’t a downside to bringing back Harrison Smith.”
Smith sounded like a man who recognized the end was near after Minnesota lost in the Wildcard Round to the Los Angeles Rams. “Appreciate the Vikings nation, everything they’ve always meant to me. Thank you,” Smith told former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber, a KFAN employee.
Minnesota’s defense ranked second in the NFL per EPA/Play this season, and Smith was a consistent starter in the secondary. He was not “one of those” old defenders who played sparingly.
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.”
Leber asked Smith what was next for him in the offseason, and he replied, “I don’t know. Probably chill out for a little bit, figure that out down the road.”
“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 said.
For the first time, when asked about his future that night, Smith truly resembled a man near the end of his playing career. But that was apparently just disappointment over the abrupt loss.
There was also a de facto deadline for Smith’s decision. Minnesota basically had until March 14th to choose a path for Smith if he hasn’t retired by then. It got the deal done a couple of days early.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling wrote early in the offseason, “Smith, 36, has a league minimum base salary of $1.255 million for 2025. But here’s where it gets tricky to bring him back: If he’s on the roster by the third day of the 2025 league year, his $25 million base salary for 2026 is fully guaranteed.”
“In other words, there’s a deadline for the Vikings to either restructure his contract or for the team and Smith to make a final decision about whether he’ll be back for a 14th season in Minnesota.”
Smith fulfilled the deadline and his new contract of one year and up to $14 million is proof.
Smith is, by far, the longest-tenured Viking on the roster, playing under three different head coaches. The second longest-turned player, C.J. Ham, joined Minnesota four years after Smith.
The beloved safety will turn 37 next February.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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