What Percy Harvin's ankle injury means for his future with the Jets
percy harvin
on December 07, 2014 at 7:19 PM, updated December 07, 2014 at 7:22 PM
MINNEAPOLIS — Percy Harvin struggled to get to his feet. Once he did, he needed to grab a chair just so he could turn around. He couldn't say whether his left ankle was broken or severely sprained. He just knew he couldn't put any weight on it.
In Sunday's 30-24 overtime loss to the Vikings, Harvin finally had the kind of performance the Jets had been hoping for when they shipped a conditional draft pick to the Seahawks to get him back in October. But he left the game late in the fourth quarter with the injury and did not return, and he eventually left the locker room on crutches.
Two years ago, Harvin had to have surgery on his right ankle. Shortly after Sunday's game, there was no telling how serious the injury to his left ankle would be.
"It's disappointing," Harvin said. "Especially in the time of game it was. I wanted to be out there battling with my teammates. So, yeah, that part was very disappointing."
A wide receiver/kick returner, Harvin caught six passes for 124 yards, including his first touchdown in two years—a 35-yarder from Geno Smith in which Harvin did an outstanding job of adjusting to the ball. He also returned a kickoff 47 yards and totaled 109 yards on four returns.
Harvin had played for the Vikings from 2009 to 2012 before he was traded to the Seahawks last year. The fans here booed him every time his name was announced. He seemed to enjoy playing the heel, such as as when he stared up into the crowd and tossed the ball into the stands after his touchdown catch.
"I expected it," he said of the booing. He also said he likes to toss the ball into the stands any time he scores a touchdown. "I'm not a big rah-rah guy, but to hear the boos and then finally get that score, to stare at them was a pretty good feeling."
Jets head coach Rex Ryan said Harvin was "the difference in the game."
"He gave us a great shot with his return ability, as a receiver, everything," Ryan said. "The kind of talent he has is rare."
But as time was winding down before overtime, Harvin could be seen hobbling toward the locker room.
Harvin said he was injured while making his final catch, a 9-yard reception on an out route at midfield with just less than two minutes remaining in regulation. The Jets, down 24-21 at the time and driving toward the game-tying field goal, took a shot at the end zone three plays later, but because Harvin had to come out, Smith's pass was directed at T.J. Graham.
Harvin said he hadn't yet had an X-ray, and he wouldn't say whether he rolled the ankle, felt it snap, or if anyone had fallen on it. The Jets are now 2-11 and headed nowhere except toward a high draft pick, but Harvin's injury does have the potential to impact the team next season. Harvin's contract, which he signed with the Seahawks last year, calls for him to make $10 million next season with no guarantees. Should he be unable to play in the Jets' final three games, Harvin may no longer get to audition his skills to convince the Jets he's worth keeping at that price.
But what he showed on Sunday was exactly the sort of dynamism the Jets had been missing for most of the season. Harvin was a bona fide deep threat on the outside who had an impact that helped free up the rest of the offense. The Jets rushed for 168 yards, and Smith finished with a quarterback rating of 87.4 even though he threw a pick-six on the first play from scrimmage.
"We always knew that he could make plays downfield," running back Chris Johnson said. "He came in today and he showed that."
percy harvin
on December 07, 2014 at 7:19 PM, updated December 07, 2014 at 7:22 PM
MINNEAPOLIS — Percy Harvin struggled to get to his feet. Once he did, he needed to grab a chair just so he could turn around. He couldn't say whether his left ankle was broken or severely sprained. He just knew he couldn't put any weight on it.
In Sunday's 30-24 overtime loss to the Vikings, Harvin finally had the kind of performance the Jets had been hoping for when they shipped a conditional draft pick to the Seahawks to get him back in October. But he left the game late in the fourth quarter with the injury and did not return, and he eventually left the locker room on crutches.
Two years ago, Harvin had to have surgery on his right ankle. Shortly after Sunday's game, there was no telling how serious the injury to his left ankle would be.
"It's disappointing," Harvin said. "Especially in the time of game it was. I wanted to be out there battling with my teammates. So, yeah, that part was very disappointing."
A wide receiver/kick returner, Harvin caught six passes for 124 yards, including his first touchdown in two years—a 35-yarder from Geno Smith in which Harvin did an outstanding job of adjusting to the ball. He also returned a kickoff 47 yards and totaled 109 yards on four returns.
Harvin had played for the Vikings from 2009 to 2012 before he was traded to the Seahawks last year. The fans here booed him every time his name was announced. He seemed to enjoy playing the heel, such as as when he stared up into the crowd and tossed the ball into the stands after his touchdown catch.
"I expected it," he said of the booing. He also said he likes to toss the ball into the stands any time he scores a touchdown. "I'm not a big rah-rah guy, but to hear the boos and then finally get that score, to stare at them was a pretty good feeling."
Jets head coach Rex Ryan said Harvin was "the difference in the game."
"He gave us a great shot with his return ability, as a receiver, everything," Ryan said. "The kind of talent he has is rare."
But as time was winding down before overtime, Harvin could be seen hobbling toward the locker room.
Harvin said he was injured while making his final catch, a 9-yard reception on an out route at midfield with just less than two minutes remaining in regulation. The Jets, down 24-21 at the time and driving toward the game-tying field goal, took a shot at the end zone three plays later, but because Harvin had to come out, Smith's pass was directed at T.J. Graham.
Harvin said he hadn't yet had an X-ray, and he wouldn't say whether he rolled the ankle, felt it snap, or if anyone had fallen on it. The Jets are now 2-11 and headed nowhere except toward a high draft pick, but Harvin's injury does have the potential to impact the team next season. Harvin's contract, which he signed with the Seahawks last year, calls for him to make $10 million next season with no guarantees. Should he be unable to play in the Jets' final three games, Harvin may no longer get to audition his skills to convince the Jets he's worth keeping at that price.
But what he showed on Sunday was exactly the sort of dynamism the Jets had been missing for most of the season. Harvin was a bona fide deep threat on the outside who had an impact that helped free up the rest of the offense. The Jets rushed for 168 yards, and Smith finished with a quarterback rating of 87.4 even though he threw a pick-six on the first play from scrimmage.
"We always knew that he could make plays downfield," running back Chris Johnson said. "He came in today and he showed that."
