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(Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The future of Harrison Smith remains uncertain as he ponders whether to play the 2026 NFL season with the Minnesota Vikings. Despite being in his late 30s, Smith showed last season that he still can play at a high level.
Nonetheless, the question will likely be whether he wants to put his body through the grind of another NFL season, now that Smith is 37. Even with the uncertainty, Alec Lewis, who covers the Vikings for The Athletic, believes Smith will be back, as he included the veteran safety in his projections for the safety position in 2026.
“Smith has not ruled out a return,” Lewis wrote in his article that was published on March 30. “It doesn’t feel like a decision is imminent, either. The Vikings don’t plan to push him for a decision, knowing they need to plan for the future regardless. Smith is 37 years old. If he plays, he’ll want the chance to bring a Super Bowl to the organization he’s given his career to.”
Smith finished the 2025 season with a 68.9 overall PFF grade, placing 31st among 98 qualifying safeties. His coverage work earned a 69.0 grade, good for 29th at the position, while his run-defense grade of 61.7 ranked 78th.
Furthermore, Smith played 793 snaps, notching two interceptions and three pass breakups. The Vikings veteran allowed a passer rating of 81.0 when targeted, opposing quarterbacks completed 21 passes against him, and Smith added 42 solo tackles.
Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell Speaks on Harrison Smith Situation
Moreover, Lewis might be right about a decision not coming soon. On March 30, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke with the media and shared the latest regarding where the organization stands on allowing Smith to take the time he needs to decide whether he wants to play in 2026.
“He knows how I feel about him, how we feel about him,” O’Connell said (h/t Kevin Seifert of ESPN). “But we also want to be respectful and give him space to kind of continue to figure out what he wants to do.”
Harrison Smith Spoke About Returning in 2026 Last Season
Late last season on 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.”
It will be interesting to see what Smith decides to do. Still, the Vikings’ defense will definitely want their leader back as Minnesota looks to bounce back after a 9-8 2025 season and contend for a Super Bowl with their QB situation now improved.
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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