Percy Harvin Looking to Come Out of Retirement
The biggest week for bringing new blood into the NFL is this week with the NFL Draft. More than 250 players are going to be selected this weekend to bring the latest group of young talent into the league. With that said, it’s not just new players that are making an impact in the NFL news this week. Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who famously won the WWE 24/7 title while serving as the host of Wrestlemania 36 earlier this month, came out of retirement and was traded to Tampa Bay earlier this week. As it turns out, he’s not the only player that had hung up the cleats who is contemplating coming back to the gridiron.
Reports circulating today say that wide receiver Percy Harvin, who hasn’t played in the last three seasons, is looking to come out of retirement and get back on the field. Harvin, whose last game came on November 20, 2016 for the Buffalo Bills in a 16-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, spoke with ESPN’s Josina Anderson and stated the following:
“I’m ready to return to the NFL. I thought I was done, but that itch came back. I’ve been training w/a former Olympian. My body is feeling good. Mentally I’m better. My family is good. The timing is right.” He also said that he’s ready to join “any offense that will just let me go.”
It’s been an interesting road for the former first-round pick, who was taken 22nd overall by the Vikings in 2009. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, hauling in 60 passes for 790 yards and six scores while adding 135 yards on 15 carries. In addition, he averaged 27.5 yards on 42 kick returns, including two for scores. After adding seasons with 71 and 87 catches in 2010 and 2011, he had 62 catches in nine games in 2012 before going down with an ankle injury that saw him end up on injured reserve.
In the offseason, he was dealt to Seattle only to suffer a torn labrum in his hip that required surgery. He played in just one game in the regular season. Harvin did play in Super Bowl XLVII and ran the second-half kickoff back 87 yards for a score as the Seahawks rolled to a 43-8 win over the Broncos. Partway through the 2014 season, he was dealt to the Jets and was released after the season. Harvin signed a deal with the Bills in 2015, played five games and ended up on injured reserve before retiring the first time. In November 2016, he came out of retirement, signing a one-year deal with the Bills, who were dealing with injuries to their receiving corps. He played in just two games, catching two passes for six yards and running once for 11 yards. Shortly thereafter, he ended back up on injured reserve and eventually announced his second retirement on March 14, 2017.
Harvin had hip surgery last August and had a blockage that may have been previously unnoticed in the process. Whether it helps him take the field again or not, it’s going to be interesting to see what transpires. Having not played in three-plus seasons and with his track record of injuries, one has to wonder if there’s going to be a ton of interest in a 32-year old receiver who hasn’t done much in nearly a decade. On one hand, there are always teams looking for guys that can reel in passes and make plays in the aerial game. The flip side is that age and injuries are going to be a point of concern for anyone. Harvin is saying the right things but he has to prove that he can actually make the re-acclimation to the NFL and stay healthy. I wish him luck, but the odds are definitely against him at this stage of his career.
