To put in perspective how long safety Harrison Smith has been with the Minnesota Vikings, here is a look at his draft class (including him, in order Rounds 1-7 with no second-round pick).
- Matt Kalil - OT
- Harrison Smith - S
- Josh Robinson - CB
- Jarius Wright - WR
- Rhett Ellison - TE
- Greg Childs - WR
- Robert Blanton - CB
- Blair Walsh - K
- Audie Cole - LB
- Trevor Guyton - DE
That was the Vikings' draft class in 2012. Some of us had a lot more hair on our heads back then, and some of you may not have even been a Minnesota fan yet. To say nothing of a "where are they now?" or "how long have they been out of the league?" for Smith's draft classmates.
After last season, retirement seemed to be a real possibility for Smith. But if we're being honest, we knew better, and he's back with a revised contract for 2025.
One of the best defensive players in Minnesota history, and in the conversation alongside Paul Krause and Joey Browner in the conversation for who the best safety in franchise history is, Smith is back for his 14th season.
Funny contract incentive foreshadows future for Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith
Smith's revised contract has been reported as a one-year, $10.25 million deal with a max value of $14 million. Spotrac has it as a two-year, $10.25 million deal, and in general, the finer details have been foggy and unknown.
On Wednesday, Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune revealed the details of Smith's contract as he knows them.
"$9.901M cap number
- $8M signing bonus, $2M base salary, up to $250K per-game roster bonus
- $25M base salary for 2027 is fully g’td if Smith is on the roster the 3rd day of the ‘26 LY (similar to his last deal)
- Up to $750K in incentives based on playing time (65%=$250K; 70%=$500K; 75%=$750K)
- There’s a “Hitman to the HOF” bonus that pays $500K if he gets 4 INTs in ‘25
- $500K bonus for 3 or more sacks
- $1M for 1st team All-Pro; $500K for 2nd team
- If he plays 75% of snaps, he can earn up to $1M on postseason success: $250K if Vikings win NFC title, $500K if Vikings win Super Bowl, $1M if VIkings win Super Bowl and Smith is named MVP while playing 75% of snaps in SB LX."
There are a whole lot of "unlikely to be earned" incentives in there. Last season, Smith would have only reached the core playing time incentives.
Tucked in the middle of all that is a $500,000 "Hitman to the HOF" bonus Smith will get if he picks off four passes next season. If he does it, he would have 41 career interceptions and, via a multi-way tie, enter the top-75 on the all-time interception list.
So, setting that incentive bar at four interceptions does not seem coincidental. "Hitman" is a reference to Smith's nickname, given to him years ago by Vikings radio play-by-play voice Paul Allen when he coined him "Harry the Hitman."
In any case, it's a humorous touch to otherwise mundane contract details by Minnesota's front office. Smith is also very likely headed to the Hall of Fame when his career is over, so it's also a little bit of foreshadowing.