Hitman Back On Reworked Deal

OK - I gotta get me one of those jerseys

Yesss! Having Hitman back is huge and would allow Mattelus to stay as our roving Swiss army knife on defense.

Hitman back is awesome and needed.

I think he really showed his age last season. Wish we had a younger alternative.

Sentimentally it makes sense. At the right price, he knows the D, can still function but I wouldn't count on him as a starter

Harrison Smith has agreed to a new contract to return to the Vikings for a 14th season, per @TomPelissero pic.twitter.com/Khs3PDUtGR

— PFF (@PFF) March 13, 2025

For Harrison Smith: He gets $10.25M base with incentives up to $14.0M for his 14th season https://t.co/HO7oF526x7

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2025

One less hole to fill.
Hitman will continue his legacy for another year. I do think that part of his reason for re-signing is what Kwesi has done to shore up the glaring weaknesses, and I think he wants to go out with a ring. And this is his best option and opportunity to do so.

Let's all pull for Hitman to get his ring this year!

Hell yeah!

One of the greatest safeties to ever play!! Love the Hitman and I’m happy he’s back for 1 more season!!

BAH GAWD THAT'S @HarriSmith22's MUSIC!!

The #Vikings and S Harrison Smith have agreed on a restructured contract for his 14th NFL season. pic.twitter.com/WAh8eHJAsq

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 13, 2025

HARRISON SMITH. FUTURE FIRST-BALLOT HALL OF FAMER.

One of the best players of his time:

• 2x Pro Bowler
• 6x Pro Bowler
• All-Rookie Team (2012)
• 1,126 career tackles
• 37 interceptions
• 96 pass deflections
• 12 forced fumbles
• 20.5 sacks

A special special player pic.twitter.com/Ge4EbpTYv2

— MLFootball (@MLFootball) March 13, 2025

He's got the stats, he's executed the plays.

Vikings, go get him (and yourselves) the ring.

Harrison Smith is one of the best ever period. He is the epitome of loyalty and leadership. He deserves the opportunity to stay and continue to influence and impact the defense and the rest of the team

Safety is definitely one of the few positions where you can play into your mid-to-late 30s. Rod and Charles Woodson played until age 38 and 39. Be good to have Harry on the team when we lift the Lombardi next Feb.

Montana Tom wrote:
One less hole to fill. Hitman will continue his legacy for another year.  I do think that part of his reason for re-signing is what Kwesi has done to shore up the glaring weaknesses, and I think he wants to go out with a ring.  And this is his best option and opportunity to do so.

Let's all pull for Hitman to get his ring this year!

That is the hope for everyone.

One of the All Time Greats. 22. 🫡 https://t.co/Vz23L8eURh

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 13, 2025

Exactly two years ago today. And @harrismith22 now returning for a 14th season! https://t.co/nJdxaw4i5A

— Lindsey Young (@LindseyMNSports) March 13, 2025

pic.twitter.com/VQWRdFF5eK

— Joshua Metellus (@NoExcuses_23) March 13, 2025

Formal signing… :P

https://www.vikings.com/news/harrison-smith-contract-signing-2025-safety

Details of Harrison Smith’s new deal with the #Vikings:

–$9.901M cap number
–$8M signing bonus, $2M base salary, up to $250K per-game roster bonus
—$25M base salary for 2027 is fully g’td if Smith is on the roster the 3rd day of the ‘26 LY (similar to his last deal)
—Up to $750K…

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) March 27, 2025

One last time.

Having Harrison Smith back is ‘massive’ for Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Early in Harrison Smith’s annual offseason deliberations about whether to play another season with the Vikings, the safety has a rule for Kevin O’Connell.

“I give him his space,” O’Connell said at the NFL owners’ meetings on Tuesday. “If I call or text him, we are not to talk about football until he’s ready. So there may have been a couple golf texts here and there, a couple of calls to check in on all the things happening in the world.”

One morning this month, O’Connell got the call from Smith he was waiting for.

“He said, ‘Hey, Boss Man, I think I’ve got one more in me,‘” O’Connell said. “And I was like, ‘Am I allowed to talk about football yet?’ I took that as a yes. He heard my excitement.”

The 36-year-old Smith’s decision to return for a 14th season provided a jolt for O’Connell, who’d campaigned along with defensive coordinator Brian Flores for Smith to keep playing. The Vikings gave him a new deal for 2025, with an $8 million signing bonus, a $2 million base salary and a raft of incentives and bonuses that could push his compensation as high as $14 million in 2025. Tucked among the incentives in the contract: a “Hitman to the HOF” bonus that pays Smith $500,000 if he intercepts four passes in 2025.

It’s a lot of money for a safety who’s played at least 900 snaps every year since 2017, but the Vikings still deem Smith too valuable to think about life without him.

“I haven’t coached it down for the Minnesota Vikings without Harrison Smith here,” O’Connell said. “He’s a huge part of who I am as a coach. He’s a huge part of what we built together in Minnesota. He stands for so many things that I believe in, in this game, in the locker room. Having him back is massive for me. And I thought he had a really good year. I think sometimes we get caught up in the nostalgic side of things with, he’s made it 14 years one team, 36 years old. He’s closer to my age than anybody in the locker room. We still have our coffee every Friday. But he’s still a really good player and brings so much to the table to our defense.”

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