The future of Minnesota Vikings veteran Harrison Smith remains uncertain as he mulls over the decision of playing another season. Nonetheless, whether he plays or not, a former teammate of his offered a bold prediction after Smith does indeed call it a career.
Former Vikings pass-catcher Kyle Rudolph, who played with Smith in college and the pros, shared his prediction on whether he sees his former teammate playing in the 2026 NFL season.
“I think that’s it for Harrison,” Rudolph said on the Jan. 20 edition of “Up & Adams.” “But you never know. You just never know. Because he still can play. He was still good. That’s the kicker. When we get older and we can’t play anymore, like me, then I’m forced to be able to just hang out and raise money for charity… But for Harrison, that’s not the case. He’s got everything left. He could still do what he did as a Pro Bowl player for over a decade.”
Vikings’ Harrison Smith Can Still Play at High Level
Despite noting that he believes that Smith will be walking away, Rudolph did leave the door open for the Minnesota star to return in 2026. He notes that Smith could play for as long as he wants, given his importance to the Vikings and his continued ability to play at a high level.
“Harrison can play as long as he wants,” Rudolph added. “If he wants to keep playing, he’s still playing at just an incredibly high level. I know he’s incredibly vital to that Brian Flores defense, basically what he’s allowed to do, the freedom that he gives Flo in terms of calling the defense.
“You just put him anywhere, and he can do it, still at Year 14. So I’m not sure if this is it for Harrison, but if it is, it’s a Hall of Fame career and one that I was really lucky to be a part of and get to share the field with.”
In 15 games this past season, Smith had 37 solo tackles, 17 assists, 1.0 sack, one fumble recovery, and two interceptions, per StatMuse. Moreover, he and the rest of the Vikings’ defensive unit were at the heart of the team, finishing the season on a five-game win streak.
Harrison Smith Gets Hall of Fame Prediction
Moreover, Rudolph added another prediction, saying Smith will be calling it a career this offseason. If the Vikings standout does hang it up, the next stop in his post-career will be the Hall of Fame, and Rudolph predicts his former teammate won’t be waiting long.
“He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Rudolph added. “He’s one of the best to ever play that position. 14 years, incredibly versatile, unbelievable in coverage, come down and make tackles, play in the box, incredible blitzer.
“I felt like sitting on the bench when our defense was on the field, you were never surprised when the crowd went nuts, and it was Harrison making a huge play, an interception, forcing a fumble, just pivotal points in games throughout the course of our career together.”
Harrison Smith Gets Bold Prediction Amid Vikings Uncertainty