Kevin O’Connell Shares Harrison Smith Update
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell got in front of a microphone on Monday afternoon, the final time he’ll do so before the 2026 NFL Draft. Among many questions, O’Connell answered one about longtime safety Harrison Smith, saying he’s giving Smith plenty of space and hinting that Smith is more than welcome to return for Year No. 15.
The Vikings still don’t have public closure on Smith, and O’Connell’s latest comments kept that uncertainty alive.
No one has heard from Smith in about 3.5 months.
O’Connell’s Comments Left the Door Open on Smith’s Future
Do you think Smith will be back one more time?
O’Connell on Smith
Asked if he’d been in contact with Smith, who turned 37 in February, O’Connell said, “It’s been a few days, but now that you remind me, I’ll probably bug him today. It’s something where we’re still trying to give Harrison as much space as possible, and I think he’s earned that. If it’s anything at this point, it’s seeing how he’s doing, seeing how his family is, seeing how his golf game is.”
The Vikings and their fans said goodbye to Smith during a Week 18 dub over the Green Bay Packers in January, but soon after, most expected a formal retirement announcement. That has not occurred.
Wait-and-See Is Taking a Long Time
Speaking of Week 18, that was really the last time anyone has heard from Smith. In the past, he has locked in his decision to return, usually in February or March, and the Vikings constructed a defensive depth chart accordingly.
This year is different.
Defeating the Packers in the final game of 2025 sure felt like Smith’s send-off, but when the offseason got down to brass tacks, Smith basically said and did nothing. In fact, his longtime teammates, Adam Thielen and C.J. Ham, expressly retired, following a routine cycle of one announcing his exit from the sport. Smith didn’t partake.
Because he hasn’t retired, most fans have gingerly assumed that Smith will be back for one more hurrah. But, you know, he eventually has to confirm that.
The Viking Age‘s Brad Berreman recently noted on Smith, “It’s worth noting that an undisclosed health issue sidelined Smith during training camp last summer, and ramping back up to football shape caused him to miss the first two games of the season. But he played the remaining 15 games and played fairly well.”
“All things considered, the Vikings surely have an idea what Smith is going to do and have continued to plan based on it. Smith would surely not be overly keen on participating in voluntary offseason work at this stage of his career, and he’d surely be given a lot of leeway in terms of reporting to or doing a lot of padded work at training camp.”
The Vikings haven’t fielded a defense without Smith since Christian Ponder’s rookie season.
Berremand added, “So maybe it’s just known by everyone other than the public and fans right now, and everyone is rightly allowing Smith to make the announcement about his future when he’s ready. Or maybe he waits a little longer, and the chance he decides to play a 15th season continues to linger, even if the current trend seems to say he’s calling it quits.”
The Safety Room with Smith?
If that theory is right, and Smith does return for 2026, the safety room would look like this from a pre-draft standpoint:
- Harrison Smith
- Josh Metellus
- Jay Ward
- Theo Jackson
- Tavierre Thomas
- Kahlef Hailassie
A couple of safeties are frontrunners to land in Minnesota on Thursday night: Dillon Thieneman of Oregon and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren from Toledo. Minnesota could also explore Rounds 2 through 7 for a safety, as startable versions are often found in middle and late rounds.
No matter what with Smith’s decision, the Vikings need a young safety. It’s the fallout of Lewis Cine not sticking around for long.
Maybe Smith Will Just Never Say Anything?
There is one slight fear regarding Smith’s status: What if he just never says a word? He once hinted that when he retires, no one will know about it — that he’d just be gone. If that statement wasn’t made in jest, fans could be experiencing that reality in living color.
For instance, the draft occurs, players report to minicamp in June, then training camp in late July — and Smith just isn’t a part of any of it. It would be a bit weird, but if Smith truly prefers a totally nonchalant retirement, we could be in the middle of it all right now.
It’s also worth noting that Smith is technically a free agent. As a matter of roster maintenance, the Vikings released him last month.
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