Percy Harvin: An Electrifying Mystery
The mysterious case of Percy Harvin: A story of what might have been.
This is the mysterious story of Percy Harvin, an unfulfilled wonderkid of the NFL
Ross Crawford is back at the line of scrimmage with a piece exploring the unfulfilled promise of a one-time standout NFL player, Percy Harvin.
Setting the Scene: February 2nd, 2014, Super Bowl XLVIII
The Seattle Seahawks are dominating Super Bowl XLVIII.
Up 22-0 at half-time, the recently coined “Legion of Boom” and vaunted Seattle pass rush is making the historic 2013 Denver Broncos offense look like the 2020 New York Jets.
However, with 2013 league MVP Peyton Manning at quarterback, Denver remains confident they can get back into the game. They just need the ball back.
Percy Harvin, sets up deep for Seattle and waits for the kick-off.
Denver scoops the kickoff, in an attempt to avoid a Harvin return. The ball bounces around the 15 yard-line, at an awkward height for the Seattle returner to recover. Harvin leaps, gathering the ball well above his head. As if catching the ball on a fade route in the endzone. Not ideal for a successful kick-off return.
Harvin lands and accelerates right. Eliminating four Broncos special teamers from the play with one move. Daylight. Nearing his own 30, three Denver tacklers surround Harvin. He cuts left. Three more would-be tacklers are left pondering their life decisions.
With two cuts, Harvin has made seven Broncos miss. Harvin now has kicker Matt Prater one-on-one in the open field. Harvin bursts through the attempted arm tackle. Footrace.
40. 30. 20. 10. 5. Touchdown.
Seattle goes up 28-0 and effectively seals their first Superbowl title 12 seconds into the third quarter.
Four Years Later
Fast forward to March 2017. Percy Harvin announces his second retirement from pro football. Traded from Seattle in October of 2014, lacklustre stints with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills followed. After lighting up Super Bowl XLVII Harvin missed 28 games over the next three seasons. Ending the career of an athlete who had the potential to give so much more to the league.
To my eyes, Harvin dazzled spectators with his rare mix of track speed and raw strength that translated into intimidating power on a football field. His story to this point seems only half-written. When news broke in April 2020 that Percy Harvin has been training for a return to the sport I was hopeful. I remain optimistic that Harvin will catch on with a team at some point.
Evolution | Percy Harvin | Florida Gators
Percy Harvin - College Career with the Gators
His rise to fame, however, began well before his famous Super Bowl moment for Seattle. In college, Harvin amazed fans of the SEC for years.
As a Florida Gator, he torched the opposition from his freshman year in 2006, to a National Championship win in 2009 his junior year. Harvin was a threat to score wherever he lined up as a Gator.
He Compiled over 1,800 rushing and receiving yards respectively over the course of his career. The first receiver to compile over 1,000 yards receiving and rushing over their career in school history.
He also had a nose for the endzone. Lined up as a wide receiver, he caught 13 touchdowns over three years. Remarkable, for a player who spent just as much, if not more time lined up in the backfield as a running back.
On the ground, Harvin couldn’t be contained, racking up 19 touchdowns in three seasons. Even scoring a touchdown in the 2009 BCS National Championship win over the Oklahoma Sooners.
A title Florida won under then Head Coach Urban Meyer with a certain Tim “Terrific Tebow” as the Gators quarterback.
Harvin’s outstanding Junior college season became a springboard to enter the 2009 NFL Draft as an underclassman.
At the Scouting Combine in February is where the troubles really began. The first signs that drafting Harvin may come with additional issues for a team came when he tested positive for marijuana at the Combine. The positive test was a huge red flag, and several teams reportedly removed Harvin from their draft boards heading into the April event.
Percy Harvin and the Minnesota Vikings
Regardless, the Minnesota Vikings took a chance on Harvin. Selecting him with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the draft.
A track star in High School, Harvin was electrifying in the open field. His ability to run away from defenses at the second level combined with the raw power to run over defenders was just too good for Minnesota to pass up. Harvin had the athleticism and versatility that offensive coaches and scouts craved.
The 2009 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year showed his athleticism was elite at the pro level very quickly. The Vikings decided to line Harvin up predominantly as a receiver, where he was productive.
Catching six receiving touchdowns among his 790 receiving yards.
However, the former Gator excelled as Minnesota’s primary return man. Taking two kick-offs all the way back for touchdowns in his rookie year alone. Harvin’s five career kick-off return touchdowns for Minnesota are joint-most in franchise history.
Despite all of his on-field success, however, Harvin continued to battle issues off the field. Throughout his career, Harvin was often hospitalized for issues relating to migraines and painful headaches. These pains caused him to consistently miss practices, and sometimes games throughout his seven-year career.
Only since his retirement, has Harvin revealed the extent of his issues. Harvin has spoken on the anxiety issues he suffered his whole career, and his excessive use of marijuana to combat his problems.
Harvin continued to enjoy success as Minnesota Viking in his second and third seasons. Falling just short of becoming an outright star in the league, Harvin caught over 850 receiving yards each of his first three seasons in the league. A first serious injury cut his 2012 season short after eight games. What turned out to be his last season as a Viking.
Harvin’s Career with the Seattle Seahawks
In March 2013, the Seahawks acquired Harvin from Minnesota for a First and a Seventh-round draft pick in that year’s draft. A deal that sent shockwaves through the league. Minnesota gave up on their once-future star.
Harvin has spoken about how this was the beginning of the end of his NFL career. In unfamiliar surroundings, the receiver’s anxiety worsened. On the field, a hip injury that required surgery in August 2013 limited Harvin to just one appearance in his first regular season in Seattle.
Only for Harvin to make a seemingly triumphant return for the Seahawks at Super Bowl XLVIII. On the outside, Harvin’s electrifying performance on the big stage appeared like a comeback story for the ages. The 87-yard touchdown return that effectively sealed the win was the highlight.
Harvin was also a key part of the offensive game plan early on for Seattle. On two jet-sweep carries, he gashed the Denver defense for 45 total rushing yards. Those two carries settled the otherwise shaky Seahawks offense into the game. Ensured early points. Before they dominated the rest of the way.
Percy Harvin’s Mental Health Issues
As fast as Percy Harvin climbed to fame as Florida Gator, and showcased his ability on the sport’s biggest stage for Seattle, the fall was even faster.
Harvin’s self-acknowledged anxiety disorder continued to impact the receiver off the field. Another trade led to more unfamiliar surroundings with the Jets. Harvin never settled in the offense.
The big-play explosiveness disappeared from his game.
Following his release from New York, the Buffalo Bills signed Harvin. However, his 2015 season was also cut short due to injury. Leading to his first retirement the following April.
That only lasted until November of the next season, however, as Harvin returned to Buffalo on a 1-year deal. Convinced he just needed the time off to fully heal from his lingering past injuries.
A second storybook comeback was not to be as Harvin appeared in only two games for Buffalo throughout 2016. Touching the ball a mere three times. Harvin retired again at the end of the season.
The mystery that stems from Percy Harvin’s NFL career isn’t the question of why the electrifying athlete couldn’t put it all together at the Pro-level.
His injuries and unreported anxiety disorder are explanations enough. Never mind the on-field issues of being on four different teams in seven years, and a lack of a defined role on any team after leaving the Vikings.
His college highlights at Florida and special plays early in his Minnesota Viking career showcase Harvin’s rare athletic ability. For one night in February 2014, the world witnessed all of the elite athleticism that made Percy Harvin an explosive football player.
The mystery of Percy Harvin is what could have been for one of the most electrifying athletes to ever step on a football field.
