How Good Was Percy Harvin in College and the NFL?
Cam Newton recently told Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Fred Taylor that Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin are two of the best college football players of all time. Before he transferred schools, Newton played with Tebow and Harvin at The University of Florida.
Most football fans remember how dominant Tim Tebow was in college. However, the casual fan may not remember how lethal Percy Harvin was at Florida and in the NFL.
Percy Harvin was a monster in college
Percy Harvin played three seasons at Florida and was a walking highlight machine. He won two championships and formed a dynamic offensive duo with Tim Tebow.
One of the most versatile players in college football history, Harvin did it all for Florida. He played running back, wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner for Urban Meyer and was a monster at each position.
Harvin rushed for 1,852 yards on 194 carries at Florida while scoring 19 touchdowns. As a wideout, he caught 133 balls for 1,929 yards and 13 touchdowns. Florida defeated Ohio State and Oklahoma for their two championships while Harvin was on the team.
Cam Newton told Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Fred Taylor that Tim Tebow wouldn’t have had the success he had at Florida without Percy Harvin. The Chesapeake, Virginia native will go down as one of the most explosive players in college football history. To score 32 touchdowns in three years is remarkable.
Percy Harvin was a difference-maker in the NFL
The Minnesota Vikings drafted Percy Harvin with the 22nd overall pick in the 2009 draft. The Florida legend won the 2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award by racking up 790 yards through the air and 135 on the ground.
Harvin scored six receiving touchdowns for the Vikings during the 2009 season and helped the team reach the NFC Championship Game, where Minnesota lost to the New Orleans Saints. The speedster made his lone Pro Bowl team as a rookie and also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.
In 54 games with the Vikings, Harvin caught 20 touchdown passes, ran for four, and took five kickoffs to the house. He recorded 3,302 receiving yards and 683 rushing yards. If it wasn’t for injuries, Harvin might have played his entire NFL career in Minnesota.
The Vikings traded Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks on March 12, 2013. During the 2013 season, Harvin only appeared in one regular-season game due to injury. He also didn’t play in the NFC Championship Game versus the San Francisco 49ers because of a concussion.
Harvin, though, made his presence felt in the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos, a contest Seattle won. He returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown and ran the ball two times for 45 yards. This came after Harvin punched teammate Golden Tate before the Seahawks took their team picture for the Super Bowl.
In 2014, Harvin was traded by the Seahawks to the New York Jets on October 18. The one-time Pro Bowler played eight games for the Jets and scored one touchdown through the air.
In the offseason of 2015, Harvin signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills. In the 2015 season, Percy played in five games and caught one touchdown. His last year in the NFL was in 2016 with the Bills before being forced to retire due to injuries.
Percy Harvin finished his NFL career with 22 receiving touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, and five kickoff scores. When he was healthy, Harvin was a difference-maker.
The former Florida superstar smoked weed before every game
In 2019, Percy Harvin told Master Tesfatsion of Bleacher Report that he was high for every game he played because of issues he had with anxiety. The former NFL star smoked weed instead of taking the medicines he was prescribed by doctors.
Even though he only played in 75 NFL games, Percy Harvin was must-see TV whenever he had the ball in his hands. His Florida highlights are still talked about today since they are so legendary.
