Vikings S Harrison Smith has signed a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings, the team announced on Sunday.
According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it’s a four-year extension worth $64 million. Overall, five years $74.8 million. The 32-year-old Smith gets $22.5 million in the next eight months, the highest in NFL history for a safety — For 2022 to 2024, the new money average is $15.3 million. The extension includes $26.3 million guaranteed.
Last season, Smith had five interceptions, which was third in the NFL.
In his 130 career regular-season games with 129 starts, the five-time Pro Bowler has totaled 557 solo tackles, 66 passes defended, and 28 interceptions, the most in the NFL among all safeties since joining the league in 2012. Only Hall of Famer Paul Krause has started more games (150) at safety for the Vikings. Smith was voted a Pro Bowl starter in 2019, making it his fifth consecutive season, earning Pro Bowl honors.
According to coaches’ stats, the longest-tenured Viking (10 seasons) ranks third all-time in Vikings history in tackles among defensive backs with 867 career tackles. Smith is the only player in franchise history with four career interception returns of more than 50 yards.
The Knoxville, Tennessee native also holds the franchise record among defensive backs in career sacks (13.5) and ranks seventh all-time in team history in career interceptions (28). The veteran safety was named 1st-Team All-Pro in 2017 by the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers of America, and Sporting News.
Vikings safety Harrison Smith, defensive end Danielle Hunter and running back Dalvin Cook have been selected by players, fans and coaches to the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl. Cook and Smith were both named as starters.
Cook is selected to his first Pro Bowl after leading the fan voting as the top non-
quarterback among vote-getters. With 1,135 rushing yards through 14 games, Cook is the eighth player in Vikings history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, and the first since Adrian Peterson did so in 2015. Cook is also just the fourth player in franchise history to score 13 or more rushing touchdowns in a single season. The Florida State product, who ranks third in the NFL with 1,654 yards from scrimmage, was named Week 10 NFC Offensive Player of the Week at Dallas and FedEx Ground Player of the week twice, in Week 2 at Green Bay and Week 7 at Detroit.
Hunter, who is tied for third in the NFL in sacks with 13.5, has earned his second
consecutive Pro Bowl nod in his fifth season. With 47.5 sacks, Hunter has the third-most sacks in the NFL since the start of the 2016 season. He recorded 48.0 sacks prior to turning 25 years of age, an NFL record since sacks became an official stat in 1982, and became the youngest player (25 years and 40 days) to eclipse 50.0 career sacks, doing so in the Week 14 matchup against Detroit. The Katy, Texas, native earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for that effort. Hunter ranks in the top five in total tackles (65), sacks (13.5), sack yards (112.5) TFLs (14) and QBHs (21) at his position in the NFL.
Smith, with 80 total tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble
recoveries, three tackles for loss and 1.0 sack on the season, is one of the most versatile safeties in the league. His 11 passes defensed ranks third among NFL safeties. The Notre Dame product has been named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl a week after surpassing Antoine Winfield for third-most tackles by a Vikings defensive back in team history. The eighth-year veteran trails only Paul Krause (six) and Joey Browner (six – one as a special teamer) for the most Pro Bowl selections among Vikings safeties.
