Smith heaved the ball, and a teammate came down with it in the bright purple east end zone of Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center’s indoor practice facility.
There was no clock or scoreboard for what was one of several recess- or neighborhood-style pickup games inside the brand new facility, but there was plenty of emotion and enjoyment.
Smith, a 6-foot-4, 280-pound junior, teammates and players from the City of Eagan’s youth problem were invited by the Vikings to be the first to hit the field.
The players have attentively observed the construction of Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, the Vikings new headquarters, which held its groundbreaking in August 2016 and officially opened Monday.