Minnesota Vikings running back Onterrio Smith was one of the more colorful draft picks in the history of the franchise. But the fourth-round pick out of the 2003 NFL Draft is dealing with a significant battle after suffering a stroke two years ago.
According to a recent story shared by Ryan Clarke of The Oregonian, Smith suffered a stroke at his home in Sacramento on August 22, 2024, and was placed in a medically induced coma for nearly a month before getting on the road to recovery.
That process has been a slow one, however, as Smith is still in a wheelchair, paralyzed on his right side, and requires “significant assistance to move through his day-to-day life.”
“I’m still going through [physical therapy,]” Smith told Clarke. “And it’s been tough. But I believe that it’s nothing I can’t tackle, though.”
Former Minnesota Vikings RB Onterrio Smith still recovering from 2024 stroke
Smith spent three seasons with the Vikings, running for 1,123 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 51 catches for 323 yards and two touchdowns in his first two seasons with the team.
But he was known more for what happened off the field, including “The Whizzinator” incident at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in April 2005, which involved a prosthetic penis and dried urine capsules in an effort to pass an NFL-mandated drug test.
After failing a drug test shortly after being drafted by the Vikings in 2003 and getting a four-game suspension for failing a second drug test at the start of the 2004 season, “The Whizzinator” incident led to a year-long suspension and effectively ended his NFL career, as he didn’t appear in another game after the ban.
The failed drug tests, which also resulted in his dismissal from the University of Tennessee in 2000, a transfer to the University of Oregon, and falling to the fourth round of the 2003 draft, were something that plagued his career.
But there were other colorful moments for Smith during his time with the Vikings.
After former head coach Dennis Green called him the “steal of the draft” while working as an ESPN analyst, Smith started declaring himself “S.O.D” and even shaved his new nickname into the back of his head as he reported to his first training camp.
He also held out for a bigger contract, claiming he was better than any other running back the Vikings had on the roster at the time.
Of course, that pales in comparison to what Smith is going through now. The 45-year-old told Clarke he “wasn’t living right” prior to the stroke, gaining weight and struggling with his mental health.
While he has begun to start going up stairs with a cane, he has also watched his son, Onterrio Jr.'s, college career at Sacramento State, and has vowed to walk on a football field again.
Smith’s career with the Vikings may have been notable for the wrong (and sometimes humorous) reasons. But those same fans may now get behind him and attempt to lift him up as he battles his latest challenge.
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