The last couple of offseasons, Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith has seemed to seriously consider retirement. He returned for his 14th season, with a restructured contract that sort of foreshadowed 2025 could be the final season for the 36-year-old.
Then, Smith had what was only described as a personal health issue that sidelined him for most of training camp. That situation, leaving aside any football implications for the Vikings, made it easy to wonder if he would reconsider his decision to play this season in the interest of his overall health.
But when it came time for the initial 53-man roster to be decided, Smith was not placed on any list (IR, NFI, etc.