Vikings' Harrison Smith Hit With Concerning Personal Health News

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After contemplating retirement in the offseason, Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith is dealing with personal health issues that could plague him throughout his 14th NFL season.

According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, Smith had missed the past two weeks of practice and is "recovering from a personal health issue."

He is expected to make a full recovery and was named a team captain, although he will be evaluated weekly, Seifert said.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 09: Harrison Smith #22 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on against the Houston Texans in the third quarter during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings at... Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

The longest-tenured player on the Vikings roster, Smith, a six-time Pro Bowler, reworked his contract for what could be one final ride with the team. The 36-year-old safety was selected 29th overall in the 2012 draft and is the NFL's active leader in interceptions with 37 snared in his career.

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What this means for the Vikings defense remains to be seen. The team opted to let Camryn Bynum walk in free agency and enter the season with Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson and Smith as their top three safeties in their nickel-heavy defense.

Brian Flores' defense demands plenty from the safety position, with the trio of Smith, Metellus and Bynum playing over 1,000 snaps the past two seasons. If Smith misses any time, third-year safety Jay Ward is the only other safety on the roster.

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It's a concerning development for Smith, a potential Hall of Famer, who admitted the thoughts on retirement have weighed on him recently.

"There's a lot that goes into this. It's not strictly players. I just want to give my thanks to everybody that makes it go," Smith told broadcaster Ben Leber after the team's season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Rams in January. "Obviously, I wish we could've had a better result today, but it's a tough pill to swallow right now. It's been one of the most fun teams I've ever played on in any level. There's a lot to be said about this group and I really just wish I had a couple more weeks with them to be honest."

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