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Sports

A Goodbye to Harrison Smith, Perhaps

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Vikings safety Harrison Smith in Week 18 of 2025
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) teammates greet him on the sideline against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

In Harrison Smith, the Vikings have had the luxury of leaning on a historically-great safety. He’s an unusually versatile, hard-working player who thinks the game at a high level. DC Brian Flores, himself a sophisticated football mind with a unique penchant for versatile football, appears to enjoy working alongside #22.

Seemingly everybody is asking whether the Smith/Vikings relationship continues. Few are asking if it should. Surely, part of the internal deliberations for Smith himself rests in being able to do his job at a high level.

The Vikings’ coaching staff has been united in their consistency in desiring a Smith return. If the player wants to come back, the team wants him to come back. So, too, have the players expressed a desire to see him play another season. Why wouldn’t they? He’s well-liked in the locker room and still capable of playing sturdy football even if he’s not the 2017 All Pro version of himself.

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Is there nevertheless a point coming up where Minnesota decides to move on without Smith?

Safety Harrison Smith & The Possibilities in 2026

There are three deadlines to monitor for Harrison Smith’s return: the beginning of training camp, the beginning of the 2026 regular season, and the in-season trade deadline. Each of these could be understood as soft deadlines so long as Smith doesn’t retire first.

Many thought that Smith would have already decided by now, myself among them. Throughout his career, the safety has opted for his own unique path, so doing things in his own way isn’t much of a surprise.

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Vikings S Harrison Smith at Dallas in Week 15
Dec 7, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings free safety Harrison Smith (22) intercepts a pass against the Washington Commanders during the second half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

A quick rationale for each of the proposed soft deadlines:

  1. Training camp is the natural on-ramp for the season.
  2. The start of the season is when real football gets going.
  3. The trade deadline is often when contending teams add talent.

That third option is a sneaky one to note.

— READ MORE: Irksome Injury Hits Vikings Defender Ahead of Training Camp
— READ MORE: Vikings Fans Got Bad News Today
— READ MORE: 8 Other Questions to Ask Before Vikings Training Camp

No, I don’t believe that Smith will sign elsewhere before being a trade target by Minnesota. Rather, the trade deadline is a normal time when teams assess their trajectory and outlook, leading to a desire to add or sell.

On Smith’s end of things, coming back around that time — or possibly during the Week 6 bye — would be enough time to see if the Vikings have a chance at doing something special.

In the uncertainty, do the Vikings simply need to move on from Harrison Smith? The question is worth asking.

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In most instances, teams are keen to not focus on players who aren’t on the team. Smith, however, is unique. The career-long Viking will end his NFL career as a Viking. Whether that’s after having played another full season or not, Smith is going to go out having worn purple from start to finish before he sees his jersey number retired at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Harrison Smith is interviewed on the field after a game against the Detroit Lions.
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) speaks during a postgame interview on the field, addressing the media following a matchup against Detroit on Dec. 25, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis after another late-season NFC North contest. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.

In the meantime, the Vikings will be rallying around Josh Metellus, the obvious heir to Harrison Smith’s throne. Metellus is a hard-working, smart, and vocal leader who can do much of what Smith could do. Not elite, Metellus is nevertheless a very good football player.

Otherwise, the safety position boasts Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, Jakobe Thomas, Tavierre Thomas, and several other depth options. There’s enough talent there to play sturdy football, especially if Mr. Metellus bounces back after struggling with injury in 2025.

Last season, Smith had 54 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 quarterback hits, 2 interceptions, and 10 passes defended. He turns 38 in February of 2027.

If the voters have any wisdom at all, then those in power at the Hall of Fame will someday ensure Harrison Smith gets a spot.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Warzone and Black Ops 7 Season 5 Week 1 Challenges and rewards

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Warzone and Black Ops 7 Season 5 Week 1 Challenges just went live in-game. A new set of 24 challenges has arrived, and if you can complete these tasks, a huge amount of XP will be rewarded. As always, Warzone and Black Ops7’s multiplayer, Endgame, and Zombies modes have 6 tasks each, and if you can complete any six among these 24, you will get the main reward for Week 1 Challenges.

The main reward of Week 1 Challenges is a unique attachment for the Jäger 45 pistol, which turns it into a menace for every electronic item in the field.

If you wish to know more about Warzone and Black Ops 7 Season 5 Week 1 Challenges and their rewards, then give the upcoming sections a read.


All Warzone and Black Ops 7 Season 5 Week 1 Challenges: All challenges according to game mode

The Warzone and Black Ops 7 Season 5 Week 1 Challenges are as follows:

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Endgame/Co-op

Endgame challenges for Week 1 (Image via Activision)Endgame challenges for Week 1 (Image via Activision)
Endgame challenges for Week 1 (Image via Activision)
Challenges Reward
In Endgame: complete 30 Activities or Assignments 5000 XP
Get 500 Eliminations 5000 XP
Get 35 Kills with the Needle Drone or Point Turret Equipment 3500 XP
In Endgame: clear a Toxin Field or Toxin Source 3 times 3500 XP
In Endgame: complete an Assignment or Activity in the Nightmare Zone 2500 XP
In Endgame: complete the Burn Run Assignment 2500 XP

Multiplayer

Challenges Reward
Get 50 Objective Kills 5000 XP
With the Overkill Wildcard equipped, get 150 Eliminations with a Primary Weapon equipped to your Secondary Loadout Slot 5000 XP
Get 30 Kills with a Weapon while or shortly after sprinting 3500 XP
Kill 3 or more enemies with a single Scorestreak 2 times 3500 XP
Finish a match having more Kills against your Nemesis than they have against you 2500 XP
Earn 5 Revenge Medals (Killed the enemy that killed you last) 2500 XP

Zombies

Challenges Reward
Get 150 Kills during a single TEDD Task on Lighthouse Survival 5 times 5000 XP
Get 750 Eliminations using Epic or higher Rarity Wall Buy Weapons 5000 XP
Kill 5 Zombies rapidly with the PHD Flopper explosions 15 times 3500 XP
Complete 5 Special Rounds 3500 XP
Complete 15 Rounds on Kowakujo 2500 XP
Earn 10 Carnage Medals (Killed 15 Zombies rapidly with a weapon) 2500 XP

Warzone

Challenges Reward
Complete 3 Big Game Bounty Contracts 5000 XP
Activate 5 UAV Killstreaks 5000 XP
Get 2 Kills without dying 5 times 3500 XP
Get 10 Kills while Aiming Down Sight 3500 XP
Complete 5 Supply Run Contracts 2500 XP
Get 5 Headshots 2500 XP

Main rewards for finishing the Warzone and Black Ops 7 Season 5 Week 1 Challenges

The main reward for Season 5 Week 1 Challenges is the Jäger 45 Grid-Breaker Kit. You can get this attachment by just completing any six of the 24 tasks.

Jäger 45 Grid-Breaker Kit (Image via Activision)Jäger 45 Grid-Breaker Kit (Image via Activision)
Jäger 45 Grid-Breaker Kit (Image via Activision)

The Jäger 45 Grid-Breaker Kit turns the pistol from a ballistic weapon to an EMP firearm. Alongside giving better movement speed, this kit changes the gun into a recharging EMP device. Although the resultant damage of the device is very low against enemy operators, it can absolutely fry any electronic device, be it throwables or Scorestreaks.

When you unlock the main reward, you will also get a bonus 10000 XP. The six tasks that you need to complete can be a mixture of challenges from any of four game modes, and don’t have to be exclusive to one. Additionally, if you can complete all 24 of the weekly challenges, then you will get a total of 96000 XP.


This covers everything we have of Warzone and Black Ops 7 Season 5 Week 1 Challenges and their rewards. Follow Sportskeeda for the latest news and guides on Call of Duty.

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