After undergoing open-heart surgery 355 days ago, Minnesota Vikings linebacker Cameron Smith returned to the turf at U.S. Bank Stadium last Saturday, opening the preseason against the Denver Broncos.
That game will be his last. The 24-year-old linebacker announced his retirement with a personal Instagram post on Wednesday night.
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‘Football Has Been a Tremendous Part of My Life’
After starting and playing the first 18 snaps of the Broncos preseason opener, Smith exited the game with a concussion sustained in the second quarter.
Smith had already proved he could return to the game but took his long-term health and well-being into account.
Here’s the message he wrote on his Instagram:
For the past 18 years, football has been such a tremendous part of my life. It has provided countless friendships, incredible memories, and invaluable lessons that will last a lifetime. When I had open-heart surgery last year, I grappled a lot with what I had been asking my body to do in order to play this great game. Ultimately, I’ve decided that I’ve been asking for it to do too much.
After careful consideration and thorough discussion with my friends and family, I have made the difficult decision to retire from the NFL. I know this transition isn’t going to be easy, but I am excited to tackle this next chapter of my life with the same passion and pursuit that I did football. I am grateful for, and will forever cherish, the many opportunities that I have been given to me through football.
I truly appreciate the support from all my friends, family, the entire Vikings organization, USC, Athletes First and everyone who has been by my side along the way.
Thanks again, Cam.
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A fifth-round pick from USC in 2019, Smith played in five games as a rookie. The Vikings discovered he had a bicuspid aortic valve congenital disability that would have gone undetected if not for COVID-19 testing during the preseason a year ago.
“Although this will unfortunately end my 2020 season, it is really a blessing that we found this as my heart is severely enlarged and wouldn’t have lasted much longer,” Smith wrote on his Instagram at the time of the discovery of his heart condition a year ago. “I found this out after I tested positive for COVID and had to have further testing done as protocol. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but I could really feel him on this one!”
Vikings LBs Ailed as of Late
Smith’s retirement leaves a void in the roster as the third-year linebacker was poised to be a leader on special teams and mix in for third linebacker reps.
Four-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Anthony Barr has also been dealing with an undisclosed injury since Aug. 6. Speculation has grown surrounding the severity of the injury, while coach Mike Zimmer has remained curt about Barr’s absence in practice.
“He has got something he’s dealing with,” Zimmer said in an Aug. 17 press conference, 10 days after Barr’s first missed practice that Zimmer called a veteran day.
Veteran linebacker and 2021 free-agency add Nick Vigil is the only experienced linebacker left on the Vikings depth chart other than Eric Kendricks.
Chazz Surratt, Troy Dye and Blake Lynch have seen first-team reps in practice in preparation for stepping into playing time.
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Vikings Linebacker Announces Abrupt Retirement at Age of 24