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Vikings' Cam Smith Will 'Possibly' Play Again After Heart Surgery, Says Zimmer
August 15, 2020
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is hopeful linebacker Cameron Smith will be able to play football again after undergoing open-heart surgery.
Speaking to reporters, Zimmer called Smith "a great kid" who will "be able to live a normal life and possibly play football" in the future.
Smith announced on Instagram last week that he will miss the 2020 season after doctors discovered a heart issue once he tested positive for COVID-19:
"There is a surgery that will allow me to continue to play football as soon as I am healed and cleared and I didn’t think twice about going with that one. By no means am I ready to be done playing football, there is still so much more I want to accomplish on the field. Im going to attack this like everything else I have in life. Already looking forward to the comeback!"
Smith noted in his Instagram post that he may not have learned about the heart condition if not for his positive COVID test, which led to him having "further testing done as protocol."
Per NFL.com's Grant Gordon, Smith is currently on the reserve/non-football injury list.
Smith, 23, was a fifth-round pick by the Vikings in the 2019 NFL draft out of USC. He was a two-time All-Pac-12 second-team selection in 2016 and 2018.
During his rookie season with the Vikings, Smith recorded eight combined tackles in five games. He also played on special teams in Minnesota's playoff games against the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers.