Notre Dame Great Joins Rare NFL Club

Harrison Smith joined a rare air club in Week 5 of the NFL season

Sep 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) before the game against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Former Notre Dame star safety Harrison Smith has been terrorizing opposing NFL offenses since being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2012.

The former Notre Dame star is nearing the end of his Hall of Fame worthy career and on Sunday, joined a rare list after recording a sack of Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets.

Smith's sack of Rodgers was the 20th of Smith's career. With it he became just the seventh defensive back in NFL history with 30-plus career interceptions and 20-plus sacks. The others on the list speak to Smith's Hall of Fame resume.

THE HIIIIIIIITMAN!@HarriSmith22

📺: @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/wWD8ihIhrV

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 6, 2024

Ronde Barber, LeRoy Butler, Brian Dawkins, Rodney Harrison, Larry Wilson, and Charles Woodson are the only other defensive backs in NFL history to accomplish that career feat. Of those, only Harrison isn't enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Minnesota Vikings Uptick in 2024

HOF HARRY

With his sack in the 2nd quarter @harrismith22 became the 7th DB in NFL history with 30+ INTs and 20+ sacks. pic.twitter.com/V1itMfonwl

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 6, 2024

Just before the season started, Minnesota lost rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy for the year to injury. Expectations nationally for the Vikings were low but to date in 2024 they've been as good as any team in the NFL.

At the time of this posting, Minnesota leads the Jets 17-7 late in the third quarter and are knocking on the door of a 5-0 start to the year.

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