Harrison Smith drops a major hint on his status for the 2026 season in a way you wouldn’t expect
It’s a big surprise to see Harrison Smith doing this.
The offseason is where you see a lot of unique competitions across the world. Sometimes, you’ll see players enter fishing competitions, run track, or even do Dancing With The Stars. One of the interesting competitions this offseason is the Fanatics Flag Football Classic.
Taking place in Los Angeles, it’s led by Tom Brady and features some of the best football players in the world.
Harrison Smith makes surprise addition to the Fanatics Flag Football Classic
On Thursday night, Fanatics came out and announced that safety Harrison Smith would be a late addition to the flag football event, replacing Derwin James after he suffered a minor injury. The event will be a nice introduction to what the current flag football game is ahead of its 2028 Summer Olympics Debut. USA Football has a good description of what to expect on Saturday.
“The Fanatics Flag Football Classic brings together some of the biggest names in football and the world’s top flag athletes for a first-of-its-kind competition at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on March 21, 2026. Produced by Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and OBB Media, this event will deliver a best-on-best showdown in one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
The event will air live on FOX Sports, FOX One, and Tubi at 4 PM ET, with international streaming on the Fanatics YouTube channel. Kevin Hart will host alongside Druski, with legends Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald serving as honorary Commissioners.
Competition will follow modified Olympic-style flag football rules, featuring two 15-minute halves with a running clock on a 50 x 25-yard field. Three teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the top two advancing to the championship.”
This could be a signal that Harrison Smith is returning to the Vikings in 2026
Seeing Smith participate in something like this isn’t what you would normally see, but this isn’t a normal offseason either. The Vikings already cut him in a procedural move due to how his contract was structured, and he can still come back to the team.
The Vikings need a safety to pair with Josh Metellus, and Smith seems to still have a little bit left in the tank. With Smith willing to play in the flag football game, it could be a signal to the Vikings that he is ready to come back for 2026.
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