Percy Harvin was Deebo before Deebo was Deebo. And he was better than Deebo. I SAID IT, don't @skolrant me. When I'm sad (as Vikings fans are wont to do), I like to imagine what would've happened if Percy stayed healthy and happy in Minnesota. Ring of Honor for sure, maybe HoF. Dude could RUNNNN.

But alas, William Percival Harvin III stayed neither healthy, nor in Minnesota. But those four seasons (three and a half, really, but who's counting), were freaking *magical.*

Coming out of the University of Florida, Harvin was selected by the Minnesota Vikings on April 25, 2009, with the 22nd overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He was the fourth wide receiver selected, behind—wait for this—Darrius Heyward-Bey (gross), Michael Crabtree (ew), and Jeremy Maclin (lol). Following extended contract negotiations, Harvin signed a five-year, $14.5 million contract (including $8.7 million guaranteed) on August 3, 2009.

From the jump, Percy was a beatiful mess—Harvin fell ill and was hospitalized prior to rookie mini camp, then missed the NFL's Rookie Symposium due to "illness." Then he also missed the team's first three practices and first two days of training camp. Migraines plagued him his entire career, and everyone knew his favorite self-medication was, well, tons of weed. God bless him. I get it.

On the beautiful side, Percy was a goddamn wrecking ball. A 5'11" 185-pound wrecking ball. He would line up in the slot, outside, in the backfield—everything. And he'd go over the middle, sacrifice his body, his head, his ribs, his hips, his ankles. His performance earned him a Pro Bowl spot as a kick returner, but more important, he won AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Harvin is the sixth Vikings player to win the award, joining Adrian Peterson (2007), Randy Moss (1998), Sammy White (1976), Chuck Foreman (1973) and Paul Flatley (1963).

Harvin's electric play took a toll on his body, though. And maybe playing with Christian Ponder did, too. 2011 was the only season he was ever active for all 16 games, and he played his last official game in Minnesota in week 8 of the 2012 season, and an ankle injury got him placed on the IR in December of that year. Bright side? Percy made it to #90 on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2013.

The Minnesota Vikings traded Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks on March 11, 2013, in exchange for a first (Xavier Rhodes was selected with the pick, so... nice) and seventh-round draft pick in the 2013 Draft, and a third-round draft pick in the 2014 Draft. Harvin made his Seahawks debut during Week 11 against... the Vikings (of course) making one reception for 17 yards and a kick return for 58 yards. Then he (of course) experienced inflammation in his recently surgically repaired hip which prevented him from playing...

... Until Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos, where Harvin peaked, professionally speaking. Harvin had 45 rushing yards and returned the opening kickoff of the second half of Super Bowl XLVIII 87 yards for a touchdown, helping the Seahawks win their first Super Bowl title. Got that ring. Happy for him.

Seattle would trade Harvin in 2014 to the Jets, who cut him the following offseason. Percy landed with the Buffalo Bills, but he didn't make much of an impact. On April 15, 2016, Harvin announced his (first) retirement from the NFL, stating that he needed time to recover from injury but didn't rule out a possible return, which he did when the Bills lost Sammy Watkins to an injury.

But the migraines returned for Percy, and on March 14, 2017, Harvin announced his retirement from the NFL, for good.

#minnesotavikings #percyharvin #nfl

свернуть