With New Contract, Harrison Smith Becomes Vikings Defensive Leader
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (WCCO) -- The Vikings offseason minicamp came to a pause Monday when Harrison Smith was awarded a monster contract.
On Tuesday, he talked about what that means for him and the Vikings.
Harrison Smith remembers it well. Taken in the first round in 2012, some people thought he was over-valued by Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman.
"Rick took me at the end of the first round in 2012 and at the time that might have been a bit of a reach with what people though. I always use that, I wanted to make him right," Smith said.
What he turned into was a Mike Zimmer kind of football player.
"I don't think that Harrison is a guy that really cares that much about money. I think he loves playing football and loves being out here and working, things like that," Zimmer said.
And so came the part about money. He wanted to be paid like the best in the game at his position.
"You always want to be recognized as one of the top guys at your position, and you know, I think if you're a competitor you always see yourself like that," Smith said.
The irony is, it's not the money as a motivational tool that makes him special.
Smith is now, by definition, a leader of this team. That also comes with a new contract. And what he wants is for this defense to become like Seattle or Denver, where they can win games when the other units aren't functioning.
There is reasonable belief it can be elite this season. Just don't tell that to the head coach.
"I don't want to say that already. I know Zim wouldn't like that but that's the mindset that we have is we want to be that so that's what we're working towards right now," Smith said.
