The Green Bay Packers may see a recognized foe across the line of scrimmage in their season opener, and Xavier McKinney sounds glad Harrison Smith could be there.
McKinney offered a glowing assessment of the longtime Minnesota Vikings safety after Smith decided to return for a 15th NFL season, as Vince Lovergine of WFRV shared McKinney’s comments Tuesday, Sept. 9, just days before the NFC North rivals meet in Minneapolis.
“Hell of a safety, hell of a player, I love watching his game,” McKinney said. “It was good to see him come back.”
Then came the money question. Smith returned on a one-year contract worth $12.25 million, with playoff incentives that can push the deal to $16.25 million, via the NFL Network.
Asked whether that kind of payday would get him “up off the couch,” McKinney didn’t hesitate.
“Hell yeah I would get up off the couch for that,” he said.
The line drew a laugh, but the respect behind it is significant.
McKinney has become one of the NFL’s premier safeties himself, earning AP All-Pro honors in each of his first two seasons in Green Bay.
When a player operating at that level speaks so highly of a 37-year-old division rival, it’s a reminder of the reputation Smith has built over 14 seasons in Minnesota.
McKinney Knows What Smith Still Brings
McKinney’s praise is a testament to Smith’s stature because the former Alabama standout’s own career has quickly moved into elite territory.
The Packers safety made first-team All-Pro in 2024 after intercepting eight passes in his first year with Green Bay. He followed with a second-team selection in 2025, giving him back-to-back AP All-Pro honors.
Packers.com noted in July that McKinney became the first Green Bay defensive back since Charles Woodson to earn All-Pro recognition in consecutive seasons.
Smith’s career has lasted much longer, and his production helps explain why Minnesota kept the door open despite releasing him with a post-June 1 designation in March.
The six-time Pro Bowl selection has 39 career interceptions, 21.5 sacks and 1,180 tackles in 207 regular-season games. NFL.com reported that Smith’s new contract came after months of uncertainty over whether he would retire.
Minnesota officially signed him Sept. 8, only five days before its opener against Green Bay. The Vikings then listed Smith as a starter on their first depth chart of the regular season.
Smith also made clear that defensive coordinator Brian Flores played a major role in his decision. He called their relationship “crucial” and said Flores’ scheme still highlights what he can do at this stage of his career, via Vikings.com.
Packers Get Look at Smith’s Latest Comeback
There won’t be much waiting around to see how much Smith has left.
The Packers open the 2026 season against the Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 13, at U.S. Bank Stadium. Green Bay’s game preview notes that it is the third time in franchise history the Packers will open a season at Minnesota and the fourth time in five years they will begin against a division opponent.
That makes Smith’s late return relevant for Jordan Love and the Green Bay offense. Minnesota is putting a veteran communicator and versatile safety back into Flores’ defense right before one of the league’s most familiar rivalries resumes.
For McKinney, the reunion comes from the opposite sideline.
His admiration for Smith won’t make the matchup any easier, but it gives the opener an added juice, with one of the league’s current top safeties getting an additional chance to compete against a player whose longevity and production helped set the standard at the position.
And if Smith needed any validation that the comeback was worth it, McKinney’s answer was about as intelligible as possible.
Green Bay Packers’ 2-Time All-Pro Reacts to Harrison Smith’s Vikings Return