When an NFL team passes as little as the Seahawks — they were next to last in attempts (420) in a season when they won a Super Bowl — each pass play is a little more meaningful for each receiver. So when coach Pete Carroll spent three draft choices and millions of dollars to bring in WR Percy Harvin, he invited trouble with the remaining receivers.
When Harvin missed nearly all of 2013 with a hip problem that was not previously diagnosed prior to his acquisition, then returned in time to shine in the playoffs and Super Bowl, antagonism grew.
“The receivers were not really happy about (Harvin’s arrival),” Warren Moon, the Hall of Fame quarterback who is the team’s radio analyst, told AM 1090 The Fan Friday afternoon (complete interview here). “For as much respect as you have for the player’s ability, from a selfish standpoint, you know you’re not going to get as many touches. Right there it can be a problem.”
Described by Moon as “a different guy, a very emotional and sensitive guy off the field,” Harvin was reported during Super Bowl week to have had a fight with WR Golden Tate, who subsequently left for Detroit in free agency, that left a black eye. In late August, Harvin was said have had another altercation, this one with Doug Baldwin, that left a cut on his chin.
While not addressing specifics, Moon said Harvin was disruptive to team chemistry so valued by Carroll.
“Chemistry is very important for any team, on and off the field,” he said. “It’s important to Pete as much as any coach in the league. One of the reasons why this team has been so good over the last three-four years is they’ve had great chemistry.
“In some ways, Percy disrupted that chemistry, in different ways on and off the field.”
After an upset loss to Dallas Sunday at home, Baldwin went off in the locker room with a profanity-speckled rant about the offense’s shortcomings. He didn’t mention any player specifically, but Harvin had six touches for a net of minus-1 yard.
“The whole offense needs to refocus,’’ Baldwin said. “We didn’t correct the things that we needed to correct from last week.
“We need to be honest with ourselves and hold each other accountable and be real. The BS that we had last week (in a win over Washington) about how great our offense played, that’s BS. In all honesty, that’s BS because we played like (expletive) last week. We didn’t correct those things, and it caught up to us.”
Booting Harvin to the New York Jets for nothing that will help in 2014 is about as real as it gets. While not addressing Baldwin’s comments specifically, Moon said that integrating Harvin’s rare skill set was not working. Perhaps the final straw came Sunday, when Harvin reportedly refused to return to the field late in the game. He was not on the field for 11 of Seattle’s final 17 snaps, and reserve WR Bryan Walters saw playing time unusual for him.
“On the field, we’ve seen how they’ve tried to incorporate his talents into what they do,” Moon said. “At times it’s worked, and at times it hasn’t worked. There’s not been a good, consistent basis there.
“Instead of upsetting the apple cart, and trying to force things, (the Seahawks said) let’s cut ties now and create that good chemistry we had before.”
Quarterback Russell Wilson had 126 yards passing against Dallas, his lowest total since the last home loss at the Clink, a 17-10 defeat in December to Arizona, in which he had 108. Wilson admitted afterward his throws were a bit off, and Baldwin was seen by TV cameras yelling at Wilson. But Baldwin later denied it was the QB’s fault.
“It’s not on Russ,’’ Baldwin said. “I’m just saying, in general, our offense, we’re just too f——- good not to be moving the ball down the field. It’s a collaborative thing. We’ve all got to pitch in and do our part. We’ve all got to do better.”
Presuming that Baldwin and the others got their wish with Harvin’s departure, it is indeed on them to do better, starting Sunday in St. Louis against the Rams.
The clubs finally announced the deal’s completion Saturday morning after Harvin arrived and passed his physical (imagine the debacle if Harvin didn’t pass, and had to return to Seattle).
“Percy is a versatile, dynamic player who has been productive on offense and special teams,” said Jets general manager John Idzik, a former Seahawks executive from 2007-12, said in a statement. “We’re excited about adding him to the Jets.”
The Seahawks finally issued a statement from GM John Schneider:
“Although this was an extremely difficult decision, we are constantly evaluating our team and believe at this time, that this is in our best interest to move the team forward. We thank Percy for his efforts that contributed to a Super Bowl XLVIII victory and wish him well.”
Minus Tate, their their leading pass catcher from a year ago (64 catches), and Harvin, the leading catcher this season (22), the Seahawks will make it up the rest of the way on the fly in a season that suddenly became even more dramatic.
25 Comments
Good piece, Art. Interesting how we’re only reading stories about what a disruptive presence Harvin was AFTER he was traded. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
I wonder how much of a price Bevell will pay for this, since he’d worked with Harvin for years in Minnesota and had to know what kind of guy he is. Allen proved with both the Blazers and the Whitsitt-era Seahawks that he’s totally tone-deaf when it comes to player character but if Carroll truly values team chemistry (and I think he does), at some point he’s going to contemplate how they allowed such a locker room cancer to sign such a big contract with Seattle when there had to be signs on the Vikings that this is not someone considered a good teammate.
I agree fully with your point regarding Bevell. he was with Harvin in Minnesota and should have known a hundred percent what the problems were. Remarkable he backed the Seahawks picking HArvin up as the Seahawks blew 25 million on this guy and Bevell would have been for the trade with Minnesota I believe casts some real doubt on Bevells future with the Seahawks.
If Moon’s statement has any sort of weight some of this falls on the current WR corps. If they froze out Harvin from the beginning that could have fanned the flame for all the animosity among them. The fact that it’s Harvin who’s gone shows who the Hawks believe in though. Despite anything else, fighting with teammates and refusing to enter a game shows that the player put himself before the team.
Actually if they froze him out from the beginning then that’s on Russ for not picking up on it immediately and telling them to all get on the same page and cut out the kid stuff. As the franchise QB and heart of the offense he needs to lead in situations like that. Maybe that’s what he was doing if reports about his confrontation and coming to blows with Harvin last week are accurate. But if so, it sounded like too little too late.
RW did. He told Harvin to check himself and almost got a shiner for it. Personally, I think it was that incident that got Harvin traded. It wasn’t about refusing to go back in the game…it was for getting in the face of RW.
Yeah but that just happened last week. If the wide receivers froze him out Wilson should have picked up on that and been all over it WAAAAAY before 6 weeks into the season. That would mean he let it fester for all of training camp and a month and a half of the season without having a clue?
I’m not saying that’s what happened, just that if it did he should have caught that vibe instantly and corrected it.
I get what you’re saying Radio, but there are really just too many variables to account for in a situation like the Seahawks’ acquisition of Harvin. For all we know Bevell very well could have warned Carroll of the potential negativity. And in turn Carroll, lured by the overwhelming talent and riding the continuing success of his “all in” philosophy may have simply said, “So what? Who could resist our winning ‘be yourself’ hippie formula we’ve got going here?” (to Arts point in the previous piece).
…Alternatively, Bevell may have had a perfectly amiable relationship with Harvin despite whatever altercations happened in Minnesota. Maybe he thought, with the best of intentions, that a change of scenery would work out well for all parties. Heck, even Doug Baldwin tweeted about how excited he was when the trade (to Seattle) was first announced. Who knew? ….But I agree, given the history, the contract size and scope was a huge gamble.
I think the Seahawks formula works best by staying young and hungry and avoiding the blockbuster deals and remaining ‘star makers’ rather than ‘star takers.’
After refusing to take the field late in the game, management had no choice. No team can coddle a spoiled brat.
totally agree.
Hey Sidney Rice, got any plans this week?
Sidney Rice another worthless dump off from Minnesota the Seahawks got suckered on
That was actually my thought. I mean how much did that guy contribute? I’d say not much.
Forgetful or just hatin’?
Sidney Rice 2012: 50 rec, 748 yds, 7 TD.
Doug Baldwin 2013: 50 rec, 778 yds, 5 TD.
But hey, ANYONE could have caught that game winner against the Patriots, right? The current squad just let the Cowboys win last Sunday because the receivers wanted that extra wild card game in the playoffs, home field advantage is boring. :P
One thing you could say about Rice…never has and never would refuse to go back in the game. He always thought he could come up with that Patriot game winner every game. The guy was a positive influence in the locker room as evidenced by all of the love he got when he initially re signed with the Hawks last spring.
My only concern is Lynch who apparently actually had a GOOD relationship with Percy. I heard he almost didn’t get on the team bus when they announced the trade to the team. Russell needs to call a team meeting and they need to rally together and all be on the same page. Let’s start with kicking the Rams butts.
Lynch shouldn’t be upset with the team considering Harvin was the one who requested he be traded and the team accommodated his request. If he’s going to be upset at anyone it should be at Harvin for choosing to leave.
My guess would be he liked Percy as a person but he has to know he will be getting more carries with this move. Im interested in how that conversation went when Baldwin blew up on the sidelines. “We are busting our asses for our team and mister negative one yard on his “fancy fruit drink” fly sweeps is whining on the sideline and wont go back in.We need to stop throwing the ball to that cry baby.” If he didnt bark that to Russ he should have.
the person the Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin trades comes out smelling like a rose is the general manager for Minnesota. he suckered the Seahawks not once but twice. the guy should get a huge raise.
Watch. The Hawks will trade for Coradelle Patterson.
Tate left because he was having an affair with Wilsons wife. True story
Not sure what that gossip might have to do with the Harvin story…
u got proof?
I’m tired of people peddling that BS. Funny how some haters will swear it’s true, claiming they were seen in public often together, and not one piece of photographic evidence has ever surfaced even though sites like TMZ or Deadspin would pay some bucks for photos of that. And even though literally EVERYONE carries a camera and video recorder in their phone these days. It sounds like purely malicious rumor mongerers bitter at Tate for leaving as a free agent.
There’s no telling how much a person contributes to team when he isn’t playing. It’s easy to just look at numbers and say he did this and that but the fact of the matter is…Harvin was on the super bowl team and got a ring for it. Who’s to say that he didn’t have an effect on the way Tate and the other receivers played last year. Bottom line is that PCJS has shown us that they know what they’re doing and if this was the best course of action….I’m all in.
don’t overlook the fact that things went awry for the hawks right after wilson disclosed that he used to smash kids’ heads into walls and knock kids’ teeth out as a youngster.