Following the Minnesota Vikings week 13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, safety Harrison Smith was seen exiting the building on crutches with a walking boot.
Injuries have taken a major toll on the Minnesota Vikings during the 2016 NFL season. With an offense composed of numerous backup players and an injury report the size of War and Peace, it is surprising the team has been as competitive as they are.
While plenty of big names have gone down for the Vikings so far, that are some players who just cannot be replaced. One of those is safety Harrison Smith, who got fans and the media concerned about his health when it was reported he exited the locker room after week 13 with a walking boot and crutches.
The information about the injury was shared by Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Twitter:
Harrison smith leaves locker room on crutches with left ankle in a walking boot says he can't feel a lot
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) December 2, 2016
For Vikings fans, this is a scary situation. Smith is a player who the Minnesota defense depends on in many ways. He can do so many things so well that if he is forced to miss any time due to this ankle injury the team’s defense would likely struggle in a big way.
Tomasson then asked Smith if the injury was something he had sustained during the game against the Cowboys. While he didn’t get clear answer, the response was interesting.
I asked Harrison Smith if it was a new injury to his ankle he said "I don't know I can't feel a lot"
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) December 2, 2016
It is possible the ankle issue has been a nagging issue for the safety and he has been playing through the pain. There’s also a chance this is a fresh injury from week 13. No matter which one it is, this is a situation fans of the Vikings will want to be monitoring closely going forward.
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The positive thing about this situation with Harrison Smith is that the Minnesota Vikings have a long week to rest up and prepare for their week 14 game in Florida against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hopefully, the hard-hitting safety will be good to go on Sunday, December 11th.