When the Seahawks traded for wide receiver Percy Harvin, they were hoping they landed a player who could change games anytime he touched the ball.
They had to wait longer than expected to actually get Harvin on the field, but he proved he was exactly what they were looking for once they finally did. Harvin touched the ball four times in Super Bowl XLVIII and finished with 50 yards of offense that helped set up three first half scores and an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open up the second half.
After the game, Harvin called the performance “a big horse off my back” after the toll taken by being injured all season. Harvin credited his teammates with helping him get through the injuries to inspire him to a touchdown on a kick return play that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll had been holding in reserve because of what Harvin could do with the opportunity.
“It was amazing. Those guys had so much belief in me,” Harvin said. “Even when I wasn’t practicing, those guys were saying, ‘You’re going to score on this,’ and I’m like ‘I’m not even on the field practicing yet.’ Coach saved that one return for me hoping we could get a look, and it came through.”
Things didn’t work out for Harvin this year quite the way the Seahawks were planning, but the end result only reinforces the reason why they traded for Harvin in the first place.