3 former Vikings who could be picked for the team's Ring of Honor in 2023

Candidate No. 3: Robert Smith - RB (1993 - 2000)

As was the case with Anthony Carter and the wide receivers that came after him, Robert Smith was at the top of the Vikings' record book before Adrian Peterson came along and obliterated almost every rushing record in the franchise's history.

Even though he was a first-round pick by Minnesota in the 1993 NFL Draft, it took Smith a few years to emerge as the team's starting running back. Once he grabbed ahold of this role though, he certainly made the most of his opportunities.

From 1997 to 2000, Smith ended each season with at least 1,000 rushing yards while scoring a total of 27 touchdowns. During this time period, he also averaged 5.0 yards per rushing attempt, he caught a total of 125 passes, and he was selected to a pair of Pro Bowls.

Despite still performing at a very high level, Smith abruptly retired after the 2000 season, and he never returned to the NFL after. When he parted with the Vikings, he left the locker room with the No. 1 spot on the franchise's career rushing yards list.