MN Vikings Trying to Talk Player/Coach Harrison Smith Out of Retirement

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Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith interviewing with Dianna Russini (Netflix)
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

On the scoreboard, the Minnesota Vikings breezed passed the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day, 23-10, a near two-touchdown margin of victory. But those who watched Thursday’s game know better.

Unlike the loss he took earlier in the season against Seattle, Max Brosmer protected the football at home against the Lions. Other than that, the former Gopher struggled, totalling 51 yards passing for 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

If you include the seven sacks Max took, which added up to -48 yards on the day, Brosmer netted just THREE total yards Thursday against Detroit. At this point in his career, even for those of us who were highest on Max Brosmer, it’s clear he’s not NFL ready.

Minnesota Vikings defense defeats Lions

But yesterday at U.S. Bank Stadium, Brian Flores’ defense didn’t need Kevin O’Connell’s offense to be even serviceable, in order for the Minnesota Vikings to find victory.

The Vikings turned Detroit over SIX times (2 INT, 4 FR) and sacked Jared Goff FIVE times. They tried to run the football too, but that didn’t go well either. Jahmyr Gibbs finished with 41 yards on 17 carries (2.4 YPC), Montgomery rushed 10 times for 25 yards (2.5 YPC).

Related: MN Vikings Star Hits Another Record in Confusing Victory

All around, it was a Purple People Eater performance that must’ve had Carl Eller shedding tears on Christmas Day. And the best part of yesterday’s shutdown defensive effort was Harrison Smith’s role in the middle of it all.

Smith totalled just three tackles in the win, but two were for loss and one was a sack. He also piled up THREE passes defended and grabbed the game-sealing interception.

Vikings player/coach: Harrison Smith

After the game, Kevin O’Connell revealed to reporters that Flores has essentially handed over the keys on defense to Harrison Smith, in a rather unprecedented way.

It sounds like he is pretty much a player/coach out on the field, allowed control and flexibility pre and post snap that he did not have his first two seasons under B-Flo.

That trust then allows Smith to make adjustments and checks to the MN Vikings’ defense in real time, that other teams around the league would never even be able to dream up.

“I think part of, you know, these last few weeks — and I credit Flo — just really turning a lot over, even more so, [to Harrison Smith]. Harry’s quarterbacking and a lot of things for us defensively, but in these games, especially against a divisional opponent…we wanted to be able to once again give Harrison the ability to kind of, you know, win the pre-snap in many ways.

And then, what I think he did tonight was win the post-snap in many ways — just with his ability to get after the quarterback, you know, with the sack, and then he had a couple of TFLs, interception, just phenomenal.”

KOC trying to nudge Hitman into MN Vikings return

KOC continues to be so impressed by Harrison Smith — who he openly admits is one of the favorite players he has ever coached — that he can’t currently imagine life at TCO Performance Center without him.

Thus, Minnesota’s head coach has been trying to nudge the 14-year veteran and future Ring of Honor entrant to return for a 15th season in 2026.

“I’ve been nudge nudge and kind of, catching him, picking [my] spots to keep on saying, ‘I know you’re having a lot of fun doing it, so…He’s remarkable. He’s one of my absolute all time favorites.”

Kevin O’Connell on trying to get Harrison Smith to return in 2026

Just like with any good Christmas gift, Minnesota Vikings fans didn’t know when we woke up Thursday morning that there was a throwback Harry the Hitman performance waiting for us under the tree later that day. But when we unwrapped it, the moment was pretty special.

Yet somehow, the show Harrison Smith put on AFTER the Vikings’ eighth win of the season was even better than what he did on the field vs Detroit.

Emotional Harrison Smith talks life, the past… not his future

Not only can Smith still hang athletically enough to make everything else he brings from an on-field coaching standpoint more than worth it, but his love for the game and continued growth as a leader of that locker room is second-to-none.

While talking with media after the game, a 36-year-old Hitman waxed nostalgic on his career, gushed over his love and respect for Vikings fans and tried to describe how much fun he’s having playing football right now.

Tears never really came… but boy they were close. As far as his future, Harry isn’t ready to talk about that. If he wasn’t having so much fun, I’d be convinced he’s on his way out, just by the way he is talking.

“The fans here have never experienced a Super Bowl, always show up. And for them to keep showing up, it just shows how much they love the team, how much they love, you know, everything that goes into it. We’re out of the playoffs, everybody shows up in white. They do their part. And one of these days they’ll get it.”

“Today was one of the best defensive performances, as a unit, that I have ever been a part of. Guys were flying around, we were having fun, and that’s what it’s all about.”

“As a kid, playing the game, you never think you’re going to end up here with all this love from these great fans. Anytime we can come out here and walk between the white lines, there’s just nothing better.”

Related: JJ McCarthy Gets Nervous Throwing to Justin Jefferson?

We’ll find out soon enough if Harrison Smith is going to indeed return for one more season. But just in case he doesn’t, Minnesota Vikings fans need to soak all of this in while they still can.

Because there aren’t a lot of historic figures on this team that strike a chord with fans quite like Harry the Hitman.

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