EAGAN, Minn. — Joshua Metellus is proud of two different numbers this Victory Monday.

Most importantly, the Vikings are 4-0 after playing team defense in a 15-10 win Sunday over the Dolphins. The game also marked his 100^th regular-season outing in Purple since being drafted — and it was against the South Florida native's hometown team.

"There's so many words I could use, but really I just want to say I'm blessed by this opportunity," said he said.

Nothing about Metellus is complacent with where he is, but he's allowed himself a little reflection time upon hitting such a milestone.

"To have the team I grew up in love with, to come here to [U.S. Bank Stadium] with the team that gave me the opportunity to get to a hundred games, it's just full-circle — and then we get the win," Metellus said. "I think everything happens for a reason, and I'm grateful to be in this position."

The 2020 sixth-round draft pick recalled that first preseason, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when he wondered if he'd even make the Vikings roster.

And initially, he didn't. The rookie safety was waived as part of Minnesota's roster cuts and brought back via the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster, however, on Sept. 18, 2020.

Metellus acknowledged reaching 100 games played was "way out of my mind" at that point of his career.

"I never even put that on my goal board, because that's not what I'm thinking. I'm trying to make it to one game. I was the 53^rd guy on the roster," he said. "I was hoping I didn't get cut and I'd be able to suit up and put my jersey on."

It's why Metellus has never taken for granted donning his uniform on game days — preseason or otherwise.

"I've got a little ritual," he smiled. "I take every game jersey home. If I'm not trading it with somebody on the other team, I take it home, just because I never know how many I'm promised.

"Now I have so many racked up, it's kind of pointless to take 'em home," Metellus added, laughing. "But I still do it."

Needless to say, he's got quite the collection — and he wants to help his young teammates start theirs, as well.

Metellus shared that he encourages rookies during the preseason, "Take your jerseys home, put it on my tab."

"I'm like, 'I know it's special for you. Go ahead and handle that.' It's been our little thing," he added.

Vikings linebacker Bangally Kamara, an undrafted rookie currently on the team's practice squad, has appreciated learning from Metellus and took the veteran up on his offer, keeping his jersey from Minnesota's preseason game against the Giants.

"He's a cool guy," Kamara said of Metellus. "He's been a cool guy with me since I've been here, so I really appreciate him being [willing] to take the rookies in and give us advice when we need it."

Kamara added it meant a lot that Metellus covered the cost of his first Vikings game jersey.

"Especially for an NFL debut, to keep that jersey? Definitely a memory I'll have for the rest of my life, for sure," he said.

Reaching 100 games played in the NFL is an accomplishment in and of itself. To hit that number with just one team often proves to be an even taller task, which Metellus recognizes.

He grinned broadly during last week's media session when talking about the benchmark, saying, "Shout out to the Vikes for allowing me to do that."

"It's a surreal feeling. I'm blessed beyond measure — to be the guy I was when I came into the league, and now a hundred games later, to still be here," Metellus said. "I'm extremely grateful to the Wilfs being in my corner and still giving me this opportunity.

"Every day I wake up I say, 'I'm blessed,' " he added.

What is Metellus' next goal?

He joked following Sunday's win that he only has 112 games (and counting) to pass Harrison Smith, who returned this season for his 15^th in Vikings and played in his 211^th Vikings regular-season game Sunday, moving into third in franchise history. The pair has gone from mentor-newbie in 2020 to trusted teammates and good friends six years later — and Smith couldn't be happier to have a live look at Metellus' NFL journey.

"As an older guy who's seen him come in, getting cut, made a name for himself, I take a lot of pride in how good he plays," Smith said. "Not that I'm a big piece of it — it's all him — but he does everything the right way.

"He's a great teammate. He plays exceptionally tough, physical," Smith said. "He's a guy you want on your team."

Smith's words are not lost on Metellus, who admired "The Hitman" for multiple years before having a locker kitty-corner to his in Minnesota.

"It means the world. We talk about guys you look up to, especially being a man in this type of profession, 'alpha male this, alpha male that,' " Metellus said. "It's rare you get a guy that just tells you straight up, 'This is my role model. This the guy I look up to.' And he is that for me. I'm just extremely grateful to get another chance to … be on the same field as him, to hear his wise words, to hear him say how proud of me he is and just be around his presence."

Metellus has worked to not only model his game after Smith but to also be a similar positive influence on younger players.

In his fifth season of being voted a season-long team captain, he takes his role as a locker room leader seriously. His No. 44 jersey often stands out at the center of the Vikings pregame huddle, and Metellus is just as comfortable communicating with teammates on the sideline.

Smith, a man of much fewer words, noted the leadership qualities "come pretty naturally" to the younger safety.

"Especially the vocal piece," Smith said with a smile. "He's very much our heartbeat. It kind of permeates throughout the room."

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