Emotional Harrison Smith Not Ready to Face Questions on His Future
In the proverbial blink of an eye, the 2024 Minnesota Vikings season is over. After Monday night’s Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams, a regular season where the purple and gold won 14 games means nothing – much like Sam Darnold’s top-10 MVP season.
Unfortunately, outside of some nice memories and a place in the record books as the winningest team in franchise history to lose a first-round playoff game, 2024 will mean nothing when future fans look back into the annals of Vikings history.
Harrison Smith gets emotional after Wild Card loss
While that may be the case generally amongst fans, it is not true for all, especially players inside that locker room, like 35-year-old safety Harrison Smith, who might have played his last NFL game on Monday, and showed a stunning amount of emotion after the 27-9 loss.
Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Yet Another Demoralizing Playoff Loss
Dawn Mitchell (FOX9) asked the 13-year veteran about the relationship he’s built with teammate Josh Metellus, who shed plenty of his own tears during his postgame locker room interview. At that point, the normally stoic and somewhat emotionless Smith nearly fell apart.
Before he could speak, Harry had to take a very long moment to gather his emotions and thoughts. At one point during the five seconds of silence between the question and his answer, the FOX9 camera zoomed in on Smith, whose eyes resembled two large fish bowls that were one drop of water away from overflow.
If this is indeed Harrison Smith's last game as a Viking – it's been my true honor to cover his entire NFL career. A future Hall of Famer as a player and a person. Here Harry tells me about his love & respect for his teammates and for Brian Flores. #hofhitman pic.twitter.com/xmQfGVQUiW
— Dawn Mitchell (@DawnAtFOX9) January 14, 2025
Mitchell: “Josh Metellus was getting emotional talking about you, and how he knows you well, and your family, and what he has learned from you. Do you not allow yourself to have those emotions yet, or when do you go there?”
Smith: “I prefer not to have them on camera, but… [short chuckle followed by a very long pause] … 44 is a special guy. 24 [Cam Bynum] and 44 (Metellus). It felt like I have been a mentor, of sorts. I’ve seen them grow into really, really special players and great people. It’s been a real pleasure to be around.”
Harrison Smith postgame interview with Dawn Mitchell (FOX9)
Brian Flores means a lot to Smith and his retirement decision
Harrison’s Smith’s interview gives us a peak behind the curtain to what made the 2024 Minnesota Vikings so special, and why they were able to overcome a 6.5 over/under preseason win total projection to become one of the best teams in the NFC…until they weren’t.
But it wasn’t just his teammates who made this past year so special for the 2012 29th overall draft pick. Brian Flores has clearly reinvigorated Harry’s love for the game of football, something he has talked about before, and touched on again after last night’s heartbreaking loss.
Mitchell: “Then you have someone like Brian Flores, who you haven’t known quite as long as some of these guys, but [you two] are pretty tight as well?”
Smith: “Yeah, I was talking earlier… when you’ve played as long as I have, you don’t feel great everyday. But playing, especially this year and in this defense, was some of the most fun I’ve had… and that starts with Flo.”
Harrison Smith postgame interview with Dawn Mitchell (FOX9)
Harrison Smith also talked to former Minnesota Vikings linebacker turned KFAN sideline reporter, Ben Leber, and both men were so emotional that, had the interview not ended when it did, they would have turned into two adult male puddles right there in State Farm Stadium’s visiting locker room.
Harrison Smith unsure on his future with the Minnesota Vikings
But within that interview, Leber asked the most pertinent question regarding Harrison’s future. All these tears, all these emotions…is it happening because this is Smith’s final season in the NFL? Is the future Ring of Honor inductee hanging up his helmet and pads for good this offseason? That’s a good question, and not one that Harrison Smith is currently willing or able to answer.
#Vikings safety Harrison Smith (@harrismith22) talks with The FAN's @nacholeber in an emotional interview following Monday night's loss to the #Rams.#KFANVikes @iHeartRadio pic.twitter.com/8OAcszQBEA
— KFAN1003 (@KFAN1003) January 14, 2025
Leber: “What do you think the future holds for you?”
Smith: “I don’t know. Umm, probably chill out for a little bit, figure that out down the road.”
Leber: “Do you have any sort of timeline on when you want to make a decision on anything?”
Smith: “Not really, I haven’t wanted to think about it, kind of selfishly, and just live in the moment. And I’m kind of still in that moment. So, it will come when it comes.”
Harrison Smith postgame interview with Ben Leber (KFAN)
At this point, Harrison Smith is not the same player he once was. That’s what father time does to you. But his locker room presence cannot be discounted. There are a lot of reasons why the Minnesota Vikings surprised people this season, but incredible team chemistry is absolutely one of them.
Related: Daniel Jones is Emergency Use Only for Vikings vs Rams
If Smith decides to retire, that locker room will lose a lot of leadership, and that’s before others leave. Cam Bynum, Josh Metellus and many others are due to hit free agency this offseason. We also don’t know whether or not Brian Flores will return, which certainly influences Harrison Smith’s retirement decision.
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