Vikings' Harrison Smith, CJ Ham get emotional in speech to teammate as retirement decisions loom

The Minnesota Vikings didn't privation their 2025 play to extremity connected Sunday astatine U.S. Bank Stadium, but that's the communicative of the portion aft 18 regular-season games resulted successful nary playoff berth this year. 

As a result, 2 squad legends whitethorn person played their last crippled with the enactment they've helped turn for implicit a decade. 

Safety Harrison Smith and fullback C.J. Ham person some indicated that the 2025 play could beryllium their last 1 successful the NFL, and they were rather affectional successful the locker country aft caput manager Kevin O'Connell gave each of them a crippled ball, signifying however overmuch they meant to everyone successful the locker room, the instrumentality basal and the enactment arsenic a whole. 

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C.J. Ham of the Minnesota Vikings looks connected aft defeating the Green Bay Packers 16-3 astatine U.S. Bank Stadium connected Jan. 4, 2026 successful Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)

O'Connell listed immoderate accomplishments for each player, starting with Ham. 

"Ten seasons, 141 games played, which is the second-most by a moving backmost oregon fullback successful Minnesota Vikings history," O'Connell said astir Ham successful a video posted by the Vikings' societal media squad aft the 16-3 triumph implicit the Green Bay Packers. "Two-time Pro Bowler, two-time [Walter Payton] Man of the Year, four-time squad skipper and idiosyncratic who has changed my life, made maine amended successful each facet of my beingness conscionable being astir him connected a regular basis. I cognize galore of america consciousness the aforesaid way. When these benignant of players travel into an organization, man, we’re lucky. We are fortunate to beryllium astir you each day."

Ham made a code successful beforehand of his teammates, wherever it sounded similar helium was decidedly acceptable to bent his cleats up for bully to absorption connected clip with family. 

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"This crippled has meant truthful overmuch to maine my full life," Ham said, portion his lad was attached to his leg. "Being capable to beryllium with y’all, beryllium with this organization, beryllium with K.O., you guys, it means the implicit satellite to me. I cognize it’s going to beryllium hard to measurement away, but I cognize it’s clip to beryllium with my family. It’s clip for maine to ticker them turn up. Be shot dad. But these years are times that I’m ne'er going to forget. I genuinely emotion each and each 1 of you."

Ham besides shared a beardown connection arsenic not conscionable a teammate, but arsenic a person and leader. 

"Man, my telephone is ever on. Whatever you request astatine immoderate time, I’m present for you. I mean that from the bottommost of my heart. I emotion y’all," helium added. 

Then, it was clip for Smith. 

"All right, I got 14 seasons, 207 games played, which is the fifth-most successful squad history. He’s a six-time Pro Bowler, six-time squad captain," O'Connell stated. "He’s got the fourth-most successful squad past arsenic acold arsenic takeaways goes. You guys cognize what he’s each about. For many, galore years successful this organization, Harrison, you came into this enactment and changed it small by little. Didn’t accidental a full lot, but your enactment these past 4 years and your interaction connected this enactment for your vocation is 1 of one, successful my opinion. I judge you’re a Hall of Famer. I cognize for a information you’re a Hall of Famer successful this organization. I emotion you, man."

C.J. Ham of the Minnesota Vikings meets his household aft the crippled against the Green Bay Packers astatine U.S. Bank Stadium connected Jan. 4, 2026 successful Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)

Smith has ever been a person by illustration for the Vikings, but helium was trying hard not to teardrop up during his speech. 

"I’m going to support it abbreviated similar always, but it’s been a pleasure," helium began. "I cognize the twelvemonth didn’t spell however we envisioned, but there’s a batch to physique disconnected similar manager says. It’s been a hellhole of a ride. I truly privation we could support it going, I consciousness similar we’re hitting our stride close now. Just support that going into the offseason. I mean, arsenic agelong arsenic you got aerial successful your lungs and bosom bushed successful your chest…never accidental die."

Smith has been a mainstay connected the Vikings’ defence since helium was a first-round prime by the enactment successful 2012 retired of Notre Dame. Over 207 games, Smith has tallied 21.5 sacks, 1,180 combined tackles, 13 forced fumbles and 106 passes defended.

The 36-year-old hasn’t officially made his status announcement, but the emotion successful his code aft the play shows it could beryllium weighing connected him now.

As for Ham, helium was an undrafted escaped cause who was a rookie minicamp invitation successful 2016. He yet signed with the Vikings arsenic conscionable the 5th subordinate successful Augustana University past to articulation an NFL team.

Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings looks connected aft the crippled against the Green Bay Packers astatine U.S. Bank Stadium connected Jan. 4, 2026 successful Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)

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While helium was lone a signifier squad subordinate successful 2016, helium yet made his regular-season debut successful 2017 aft going from moving backmost to fullback, and helium ne'er wavered from his role.

From 2017-2025, Ham totaled 681 receiving yards and 119 rushing yards with 8 full touchdowns, including 1 from the extremity enactment connected Sunday successful the win. Ham made the Pro Bowl successful the NFC successful 2019 and 2023.

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