Sports
Vikings’ Harrison Smith, CJ Ham get emotional in speech to teammate as retirement decisions loom
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The Minnesota Vikings didn’t want their 2025 season to end on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, but that’s the tale of the tape after 18 regular-season games resulted in no playoff berth this year.
As a result, two team legends may have played their final game with the organization they’ve helped grow for over a decade.
Safety Harrison Smith and fullback C.J. Ham have both indicated that the 2025 season could be their final one in the NFL, and they were quite emotional in the locker room after head coach Kevin O’Connell gave each of them a game ball, signifying how much they meant to everyone in the locker room, the fan base and the organization as a whole.
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C.J. Ham of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after defeating the Green Bay Packers 16-3 at U.S. Bank Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
O’Connell listed some accomplishments for each player, starting with Ham.
“Ten seasons, 141 games played, which is the second-most by a running back or fullback in Minnesota Vikings history,” O’Connell said about Ham in a video posted by the Vikings’ social media team after the 16-3 victory over the Green Bay Packers. “Two-time Pro Bowler, two-time [Walter Payton] Man of the Year, four-time team captain and somebody who has changed my life, made me better in every aspect of my life just being around him on a daily basis. I know many of us feel the same way. When these type of players come into an organization, man, we’re lucky. We are lucky to be around you every day.”
Ham made a speech in front of his teammates, where it sounded like he was definitely ready to hang his cleats up for good to focus on time with family.
“This game has meant so much to me my entire life,” Ham said, while his son was attached to his leg. “Being able to be with y’all, be with this organization, be with K.O., you guys, it means the absolute world to me. I know it’s going to be hard to step away, but I know it’s time to be with my family. It’s time for me to watch them grow up. Be soccer dad. But these years are times that I’m never going to forget. I truly love each and every one of you.”
Ham also shared a strong message as not just a teammate, but as a friend and leader.
“Man, my phone is always on. Whatever you need at any time, I’m here for you. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I love y’all,” he added.
Then, it was time for Smith.
“All right, I got 14 seasons, 207 games played, which is the fifth-most in team history. He’s a six-time Pro Bowler, six-time team captain,” O’Connell stated. “He’s got the fourth-most in team history as far as takeaways goes. You guys know what he’s all about. For many, many years in this organization, Harrison, you came into this organization and changed it little by little. Didn’t say a whole lot, but your leadership these last four years and your impact on this organization for your career is one of one, in my opinion. I believe you’re a Hall of Famer. I know for a fact you’re a Hall of Famer in this organization. I love you, man.”
C.J. Ham of the Minnesota Vikings meets his family after the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
Smith has always been a leader by example for the Vikings, but he was trying hard not to tear up during his speech.
“I’m going to keep it short like always, but it’s been a pleasure,” he began. “I know the year didn’t go how we envisioned, but there’s a lot to build off like coach says. It’s been a hell of a ride. I really wish we could keep it going, I feel like we’re hitting our stride right now. Just keep that going into the offseason. I mean, as long as you got air in your lungs and heart beat in your chest…never say die.”
Smith has been a mainstay on the Vikings’ defense since he was a first-round pick by the organization in 2012 out 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 retirement announcement, but the emotion in his speech after the season shows it could be weighing on him now.
As for Ham, he was an undrafted free agent who was a rookie minicamp invite in 2016. He eventually signed with the Vikings as just the fifth player in Augustana University history to join an NFL team.
Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings looks on after the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
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While he was only a practice squad member in 2016, he eventually made his regular-season debut in 2017 after going from running back to fullback, and he never wavered from his role.
From 2017-2025, Ham totaled 681 receiving yards and 119 rushing yards with eight total touchdowns, including one from the goal line on Sunday in the win. Ham made the Pro Bowl in the NFC in 2019 and 2023.
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Coventry City will return to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years after securing their promotion from the Championship with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers on Friday.
A founding member of Premier League in 1992-93, Coventry have not been back since relegation in 2000-01.
– How does manager Lampard compare to others from England’s ‘Golden Generation’?
The West Midlands side will now rejoin the elite after a stunning campaign in the second tier under manager Frank Lampard.
Lampard’s side only needed a point from Friday’s match at Ewood Park to seal promotion but looked like being denied after Ryoya Morishita gave Blackburn the lead, before Bobby Thomas rose highest to head in from a free kick in the 84th minute.
The goal and the final whistle minutes later prompted wild celebrations from the more than 7,000 travelling Coventry supporters packed in to the away end in Lancashire.
The Sky Blues’ lowest ebb came when they dropped into the fourth-tier League Two in 2017 but they have fought their way back and, after losing to Luton in the playoff final in 2023, have stormed the Championship under Lampard this season to secure their Premier League return with three matches to spare.
They will have to wait to secure the title, with second-placed Ipswich now 11 points behind with five matches to play.
Friday’s result also means a return to the Premier League for Lampard. The former England international, who won three Premier League titles as a player with Chelsea, spent 18 months as manager at Stamford Bridge followed by a year in charge of Everton.
He last coached in the top flight during nine games as Chelsea interim manager at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Coventry spent 34 straight years in England’s top division and garnered a reputation for a series of dramatic escapes from Premier League relegation before finally succumbing to the drop in 2001. The club won their only major trophy with the FA Cup in 1987.
PA contributed to this report.
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LAS VEGAS – WWE star Danhausen has been an eccentric delight since he joined the company and made his debut at the Elimination Chamber back in February.
Danhausen has the knack for “cursing” his WWE opponents. Stars like Dominik Mysterio, Kit Wilson and The Miz have all felt the effects of Danhausen’s abilities, and it seems like the New York Mets are also suffering.
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Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz, a long-suffering Mets fan, told Danhausen earlier this week on social media that if he could lift the “curse” on the Mets, he would “do everything in my power to get his face on the side of a (WWE production) truck.”
Danhausen said that Gewirtz had a deal and wanted to have his face on the truck immediately. However, it appears that deal has not come to fruition.
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza stands for the Star-Spangled Banner before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago on April 17, 2026. (Erin Hooley/AP Photo)
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen told Fox News Digital on Friday morning. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Hours later, the Mets lost their ninth straight game to the Chicago Cubs 12-4.
Danhausen enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, on April 13, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
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The Cubs dealt with the “Curse of the Billy Goat” for years before winning the World Series in 2016. It appears the Mets have to deal with the Danhausen curse, at least for now.
Meanwhile, for Danhausen, he’s set for his first WrestleMania appearance in some capacity. Reports have indicated that he will have at least one segment with John Cena at WrestleMania 42.
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The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a week away, and prospects from all over are hoping to hear their names called, especially on Thursday night in the first round.
Having the “first-round pick” tag next to your name in the NFL is a rite of passage – teams believed you were worthy enough for their top slot, hoping you can be an immediate impact player for the franchise.
But that pick also comes with high expectations – the player is expected to perform right away and do so with Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods along the way. It can be hard for those rookies, as they’re trying to get acclimated to the speed and physicality the NFL has compared to college football.
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Broadcaster Greg Olsen looks on before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Sept. 7, 2025. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Greg Olsen, the three-time Pro Bowl tight end and FOX Sports NFL analyst, was once in that position being the 31st overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. And while he knows that each situation is different depending on the franchise the prospect lands with, the expectations are the same – fans want to see you perform.
So, how does one deal with that?
“Handle your business, be a great teammate,” Olsen told Fox News Digital, while also discussing how he’s taking his analyst duties to the next level with NFL IQ. “Earn the trust of your teammates, earn the trust of your coaches first and foremost. Because, at the end of the day, if you play well and the guys in that locker room believe in you and you continue to get opportunities, the fan support will come. As the team wins and you play well, all of that takes care of itself.”
For Olsen, he recalled thinking perhaps the New York Jets or Carolina Panthers would take him in the first round after a successful career at Miami. But, when the Jets traded up to nab first-ballot Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis, and the Panthers later selected his Hurricanes teammate, linebacker Jon Beason, he didn’t know what was happening.
That’s the beauty of the NFL Draft, though, as the Bears took him despite Olsen not really interacting with their staff during the pre-draft process.
Greg Olsen speaks on radio row prior to Super Bowl LIX at the Ernest Morial Convention Center on February 06, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
In today’s NFL Draft world, Olsen understands the information these prospects have is much more vast. In turn, fans have the same knowledge given the world of social media, and how reports, mock drafts and expert analysis shapes their understanding of how front offices think during this exciting time of the football season.
With that, comes a challenge Olsen knows he didn’t have to deal with as a rookie, but these first-round picks next week will have to weather that storm.
“In today’s day and age where everyone is so worried about outside opinion, they’re so worried about articles being written and social media and what’s being posted, you could lose track of, ‘Well, while you’re worried about that, you’re not taking care of home base.’ I think it’s more challenging today than 20 years ago when I came into the league, but I think that’s something guys have to hunker down and understand it’s not easy, but you control you and typically things fall into place,” Olsen said.
Olsen added it will be a “very complex, stressful day” for all those involved next week, but first-round pick or not, it’s the fulfillment of a life-long dream. That’s all that matters.
“You hear your name get called and a life-long dream, something you’re excited to embark on, became real. I got drafted by one of the premier franchises in all of football, coming off a Super Bowl appearance a couple months earlier. It was a really great place to start my NFL career,” he said.
Greg Olsen, the Chicago Bears’ first-round draft pick, talks to reporters after a summer training camp practice on July 30, 2007, at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
INSIDE THE FRONT OFFICE MIND
While Olsen enjoyed 14 years in the NFL, his next chapter of the game is providing keen analysis for FOX Sports broadcasts during the year.
To help him do that in the offseason while looking at the NFL Draft and free agency pickups by each franchise, Olsen has been using NFL IQ, the new interactive hub created by the league and AWS (Amazon Web Services), powered by Amazon Quick.
Ahead of the draft, NFL IQ transformed raw data from the NFL Combine, as well as team needs, free agency moves made and more, for this hub that provides fans access to key insights and puts them in the shoes of front office decision makers. Whether it’s the casual fan or a top analyst like Olsen, NFL IQ is an easy-to-use way to deepen football knowledge, especially at a crucial roster-building time like the draft is.
General shot of NFL IQ, the new interactive hub from the league and Amazon Web Services, powered by Amazon Quick. (NFL IQ)
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“This is the most educated fan base in NFL history, and I think that’s a good thing,” Olsen said.
“Fans actually have a way to access the exact same data, the exact same information that the teams and everyone are using for their own interest, whether it’s something casual or for people who really want to dive into the nitty gritty. I think it’s a really fun set of tools for the wide array of people who touch the NFL space. I know firsthand as a fan, and now a professional in the industry, it’s a huge part of my interaction of the game.”
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