NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS
October 21, 2014
Table of Contents
ASSOCIATED PRESS ................................................................................................................................................ 2
Harvin not 'perfect,' happy for chance with Jets (Dennis Waszak) ...........................................................................2
NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Geno Smith says addition of Percy Harvin will 'make us all better' (Colin Stephenson) ...........................................3
Percy Harvin welcomed with open arms by Jets (Kimberley Martin) .......................................................................4
THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Jets notes: Next opponent Bills banged up at RB (J.P. Pelzman)...............................................................................6
Newest Jet Percy Harvin only wants to look ahead (J.P. Pelzman) ...........................................................................6
Jets general manager John Idzik defends Percy Harvin trade (J.P. Pelzman) ............................................................7
NJ ADVANCED MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Sheldon Richardson on Percy Harvin: 'Whatever baggage that came with him, it's in Seattle' (Darryl Slater) ........8
Breno Giacomini on Percy Harvin fighting Golden Tate before Super Bowl team picture: 'Who cares?' (Darryl
Slater) ........................................................................................................................................................................9
Percy Harvin: Jets coach Rex Ryan basically laughed off his fights with Seahawks teammates (Dom Cosentino) .11
How will the Jets use WR Percy Harvin, whose role with Seahawks 'definitely caused frustration'? (Darryl Slater)
.................................................................................................................................................................................12
Jets WR Percy Harvin says he did not refuse to re-enter Seahawks' game against Cowboys (Dom Cosentino).....13
NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 14
Ryan and Idzik’s futures rest in hands of Harvin (George Willis) ............................................................................14
After benching, LB Coples to start vs. Bills (Brian Costello) .....................................................................................15
Jets GM: Percy Harvin will fit locker room, trade ‘a potential coup’ (Brian Costello) .............................................16
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Percy Harvin will fit right in with NY Jets, says Gang Green tackle Breno Giacomini (Seth Walder) .......................17
Rex Ryan on Percy Harvin addition to NY Jets: 'Nobody's perfect' (Seth Walder) ..................................................17
GM John Idzik believes NY Jets offer 'healthy environment' for Percy Harvin (Seth Walder) ................................18
If NY Jets plan on this to work, Percy Harvin better change on fly (Manish Mehta) ...............................................19
NEW YORK TIMES ................................................................................................................................................ 20
Since Nobody’s Perfect, Jets Think Percy Harvin Could Be a Great Addition (Ben Shpigel) ....................................20
WALL STREET JOURNAL ....................................................................................................................................... 22
Jets Believe Harvin Deal Is a ‘Coup’ (Alex Raskin) ...................................................................................................22
ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 23
John Idzik hire is anything but a coup (Ian O’Conner) .............................................................................................23
Percy Harvin: 'All smiles' with Jets (Rich Cimini) .....................................................................................................25
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Daily Clips Cont.
GM: Harvin deal a 'coup' for Jets (Rich Cimini) .......................................................................................................27
METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 28
Jets add sizzle to struggling passing game with Percy Harvin Giacomini: Media blowing up Golden Tate (Kristian
Dyer) ........................................................................................................................................................................28
Percy Harvin fight (Kristian Dyer) ............................................................................................................................28
SUNDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS...................................................................................................................... 29
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Harvin not 'perfect,' happy for chance with Jets (Dennis Waszak)
Associated Press
October 20, 2014
http://pro32.ap.org/article/harvin-not-perfect-happy-chance-jets
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Percy Harvin has been called lots of things during his NFL career.
Talented but injury prone. Explosive on the field and combustible off. A playmaker but a troublemaker.
The New York Jets' newest wide receiver doesn't deny he has had some issues. But he also wants to be
judged from what he does starting now, not just his checkered past.
"I'm definitely not a perfect person," Harvin said after his first practice with his new team Monday. "I have
a lot of things that I wish I could have done a little differently. But I'm moving forward. I'm learning from
those lessons.
"I'm happy to be here right now and looking to make the most out of it," he said.
The Jets and Seattle Seahawks completed a deal Saturday in which New York sent a conditional draft pick
to Seattle for Harvin. Jets general manager John Idzik thought the potential payoff in acquiring a player
with Harvin's type of versatility and game-breaking skills outweighed the risks involved.
"I look at it," Idzik said, "as this could be a potential coup for the New York Jets."
Harvin was "shocked" by the trade and it came as a surprise to most in NFL circles. After all, the Seahawks
parted ways with a player who helped them win a Super Bowl last season.
But at 26, Harvin has been traded twice already now, including by Minnesota, the team that took him in
the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. The Jets were extremely interested in Harvin during that draft
process before trading up to take quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Harvin has played in 60 games with only 47 career starts. He was traded to the Seahawks in 2013 for a
2013 first-round and seventh-round draft choice and a 2014 third-rounder, but appeared in just one
regular-season game in 2013 because of hip surgery. But Harvin ran back a second-half kickoff 87 yards
for a touchdown in Seattle's 43-8 rout of Denver in the Super Bowl.
Harvin is also a player who is injury prone and has had some questions about his character and
interactions. Harvin acknowledged that he had "incidents" in the locker room with former Seahawks
teammates Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin, but declined to give details.
"The way I go about my business is by keeping everything in-house, but for whatever reason, they decided
to unleash things," Harvin said. "Some things did happen. That's in the past. We've moved forward and
I've talked to Golden and Doug. We've all moved forward from it. I'm here now and I'm moving on."
Harvin said he was "frustrated" about the way the Seahawks were using him in the offense.
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Daily Clips Cont.
"Not that I didn't like what I was doing, I just wanted to do a little bit more," he said. "As a receiver, I
wanted to just get downfield just a little bit more than I was doing."
Harvin did not approach his coaches about his unhappiness, but also didn't request a trade — and insisted
he harbors no ill will toward the Seahawks.
"They brought me a Super Bowl," he said.
Idzik said he had thorough discussions with Seahawks general manager John Schneider, a close friend
whom Idzik has known before their days working together in Seattle, and was comfortable that Harvin
wouldn't become a disruptive force in the Jets' locker room.
So was coach Rex Ryan, who didn't even want to discuss Harvin's past issues.
"I don't think I need to," Ryan said. "To me, things happen and every single guy has had something, but to
me, it's just all about right now and moving forward."
Idzik said he had "substantive talks" with Seattle last week before the Jets' game at New England last
Thursday night, but the discussions "crystallized" after the team's 27-25 loss — its sixth straight.
"It became evident that this was a real possibility," Idzik said, "and eventually we pulled the trigger."
Idzik insisted the move was to help the 1-6 Jets improve — not a result of public pressure or criticism. The
GM has been highly criticized for not providing second-year quarterback Geno Smith and the rest of the
offense enough playmakers in the offseason.
"I think it brings an explosive talent to our team," coach Rex Ryan said. "It should be fun to watch."
Ryan said Harvin will serve as the team's kick returner on Sunday against Buffalo, and his involvement in
the offense would be based on how quickly he picks up Marty Mornhinweg's system.
"It's definitely a place I want to be for a long time," Harvin said. "I'm here, I'm glad I'm here and I'm going
to make the most of the opportunity."
Back_to_Top
NEWSDAY
Geno Smith says addition of Percy Harvin will 'make us all better' (Colin Stephenson)
Newsday
October 20, 2014
http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/geno-smith-says-addition-of-percy-harvin-will-make-usall-better-1.9525948
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Geno Smith wouldn't say if he jumped for joy when he heard that the Jets had
acquired wide receiver Percy Harvin from the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Friday. But the
second-year quarterback did acknowledge Monday that he believes the Jets are a better team now after
sending a conditional draft pick to the Pacific Northwest to bring in the explosive (in more ways than one)
Harvin.
"He's got speed; he's a versatile player, he can play out of the backfield," Smith said of Harvin. "You can
get that guy out in space and he'll make some guys miss . . . And to get a guy like him and put him on our
offense, I think is going to make us all better."
Smith said Harvin will make him a better quarterback, but he admitted it will take time to develop
chemistry. During the portion at practice that the media was allowed to watch Monday, when the players
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Daily Clips Cont.
broke down into groups, Harvin went with the quarterbacks so he could run some routes and catch a few
balls from Smith.
"We're working on it," Smith said of the timing between himself and Harvin. "For the most part, I think
things are good. We're both professional athletes, so we're expected to go out there and get the timing
down. We'll continue to practice and get better with it throughout the week, and come Sunday, I think
the timing will be fine."
Smith said where Harvin will help him most is in the area of YAC (yards-after-catch). Harvin had 22 catches
for 133 yards and 11 rushes for 92 yards and a touchdown in five games for the Seahawks, and the Jets
quarterback said the 5-11, 184-pounder has "home run ability," something the 1-6 Jets have clearly been
lacking.
Predictably, Smith downplayed reports of Harvin getting into fistfights with teammates in Seattle.
"Stuff like that happens in every locker room," Smith said. "You've got to just be able to, I would say,
'manage it.' You've got to be able to manage it, and in this locker room, we don't have those problems.
We don't have any issues. I'm not sure what went on down there, but we welcome him in with open arms
and we look forward to having him here for a long time."
How quickly the Jets can get Harvin to learn their offense is an issue, of course. After one day of practice,
coach Rex Ryan said he has no idea how much Harvin will be able to play on Sunday when the Jets host
Buffalo. Smith, though, said he expects Harvin will pick things up quickly, and he'll put in some extra work
with the new receiver to help him.
"We're going to help him get caught up to speed and go out there and play freely," Smith said. "We want
him to play fast."
Back_to_Top
Percy Harvin welcomed with open arms by Jets (Kimberley Martin)
Newsday
October 21, 2014
http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/percy-harvin-could-be-a-coup-for-jets-says-gm-johnidzik-1.9525100
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The past is the past.
That was the Jets' message to Percy Harvin in the wake of his trade from Seattle. And the team's newest
receiver couldn't be happier.
"The coaching staff, the management, on to the owner, they are not worried about it," Harvin said
Monday, adding that he and Jets coach Rex Ryan shared "laughs" over his reputation as a troubled but
talented player.
"I have even tried to explain a couple things. They told me to be quiet about it and not even worry about
it, so it has been all smiles here. Nobody is holding anything against me."
Rather than worry about Harvin's history of being a locker-room headache, Jets general manager John
Idzik said he's focused on the new receiver's playmaking ability.
"I look at it as, this could be a potential coup for the Jets in acquiring a player of Percy's talent and his
caliber," Idzik said two days after the Jets announced the trade for the former Seahawk in exchange for a
conditional draft pick.
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Daily Clips Cont.
"So it's really immersing him into what it is to act like a Jet, to be like a Jet, to play like a Jet. And I'm
confident that he'll respond."
Idzik added that the decision to sign "an explosive player" like Harvin was done strictly to help their 26thranked offense.
Despite his obvious talent, two NFL teams have given up on Harvin, 26, in a 19-month span. He was the
22nd overall pick of the Vikings in 2009 but was traded to Seattle in March 2013 for first- and seventhround picks in the 2013 draft and a third-round pick in 2014.
Within hours after the trade was reported Friday, stories surfaced regarding Harvin's locker-room
disruptions.
Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson said on NFL Network on Sunday that he had to break up a
fight between Harvin and receiver Golden Tate the day before their Super Bowl XLVIII win over the
Broncos at MetLife Stadium last February.
Harvin reportedly had an altercation with Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin that resulted in Baldwin
getting a cut on his chin and each player being excused from practices that week.
The Seattle Times reported that Harvin refused to re-enter the game against Dallas in the fourth quarter
on Oct. 12.
Harvin acknowledged "some things did happen" in Seattle, but he said he "never" deliberately sat out
against Dallas. He acknowledged that he had issues with how he was used.
"I wanted to get downfield just a little bit more," said Harvin, who has 22 catches for 133 yards and 11
rushes for 92 yards and a touchdown this season. "That definitely caused frustration."
That shouldn't be an issue with the Jets, who are 1-6 and ranked near the bottom of the NFL in overall
offense. And Harvin seemed genuinely excited about playing with Geno Smith, Eric Decker and good
friends Michael Vick and Chris Johnson.
Idzik, who was the Seahawks' vice president of football administration from 2007-12, said he did "a ton of
background" on Harvin and had "very forthright conversations" with Seattle. Idzik wouldn't say whether
it was he or Seattle general manager John Schneider who reached out first, but both parties spoke last
week. However, it wasn't until after the Jets' 27-25 loss in New England on Thursday night "that things
crystallized," Idzik said.
But despite Harvin's history of being a handful with the Vikings and then with the Seahawks, Idzik stressed
that "they're all different environments than here in New York. We feel like we have a very healthy
environment for players, and that's a tribute to the character that we have in our locker room currently."
Ryan echoed those sentiments: "Everybody makes mistakes. Some things just don't work at some places.
At other places, they seem to work fine. So we'll see how it goes."
Idzik also had done his due diligence on running back Mike Goodson, who was arrested in May 2013 on
weapons and drug charges just two months after he was signed. He later was released for skipping the
first day of mandatory minicamp.
But Idzik doesn't seem concerned that Harvin's off-field issues will follow him to New Jersey.
Asked if he sees Harvin as a potentially disruptive force in the locker room, Idzik said: "Right now, no."
Percy Harvin’s all-purpose yards (receiving, rushing and kick returning) have declined each year since he
broke into the NFL in 2009:
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Daily Clips Cont.
Year: Team, Games, All-purpose yards
2009: Minnesota, 15, 2,081
2010: Minnesota, 14, 1,908
2011: Minnesota, 16, 1,832
2012: Minnesota, 9, 1,347
2013: Seattle, 1, 75
2014: Seattle, 5, 508
Back_to_Top
THE RECORD
Jets notes: Next opponent Bills banged up at RB (J.P. Pelzman)
The Record
October 21, 2014
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-notes-next-opponent-bills-banged-up-at-rb1.1113680
Bills banged up at RB
Buffalo will be without its top two running backs when it visits Sunday. C.J. Spiller suffered what could be
a season-ending collarbone injury in the Bills' 17-16 victory over Minnesota. That injury occurred shortly
after fellow veteran Fred Jackson suffered a groin injury. Jackson said Monday on his weekly show on
Buffalo radio station WGR that he might miss a month because of the injury.
In their absence, the Bills likely will start fifth-year pro Anthony Dixon, a career backup who's averaging
5.1 yards on 27 carries this season. He had 51 yards on 13 attempts in the win over the Vikings.
Geno on the media
Quarterback Geno Smith was asked about his comments last week in which he said things are
"miscommunicated," "misinprinted" and "misinterpreted" by the media.
"I don't want to talk about it," Smith said. "I understand that everyone has a job to do and in no way was
that meant to disrespect anyone's job. My focus isn't even on that. I am focused on the next opponent,
which is the Buffalo Bills."
Briefs
WR Eric Decker left the field early during the practice session and went inside with a trainer. It's unclear
how much he practiced. Decker has been troubled by a nagging hamstring problem. The Jets weren't
required to submit an injury report Monday. … Buffalo WR Chris Hogan, a Wyckoff native and Ramapo
High graduate, has 10 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown in the Bills' last two games. His 28yard catch against Minnesota set up the winning touchdown. … LG Oday Aboushi made his first NFL start
in the loss to New England on Thursday. "I thought it went well," he said. "There's definitely room for
improvement." Aboushi's blocking helped the Jets roll up 218 rushing yards, but he also had a holding
penalty that negated a touchdown.
Newest Jet Percy Harvin only wants to look ahead (J.P. Pelzman)
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Daily Clips Cont.
The Record
October 20, 2014
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/newest-jet-percy-harvin-only-wants-to-look-ahead-1.1113566
FLORHAM PARK - New Jets wide receiver Percy Harvin made it clear Monday he wants to look ahead, and
not reflect upon his tumultuous tenure with Seattle.
The Seahawks acquired Harvin in a March 2013 trade with Minnesota, but dealt him to the Jets on Friday
for a conditional 2015 draft pick, likely to be a fourth-to-sixth rounder.
Multiple reports have surfaced that Harvin punched teammates Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin in
separate incidents. Tate received a black eye from Harvin during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
He signed as a free agent with Detroit during the off-season. Baldwin had a cut on his chin from an
altercation in late August.
“Some things did happen,” Harvin said, tacitly acknowledging the fights. “That’s in the past. We move
forward.”
He also indicated he had spoken to Tate and Baldwin after the altercations in an effort to move past those
problems.
Another report said Harvin refused to go back into the Seahawks’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 12.
He denied doing that.
Harvin, who has just 133 yards on 22 receptions this season despite his blazing speed, admitted he was
frustrated with his role in Seattle’s offense. He was used mostly on screens, as opposed to running deep
routes.
Harvin said it was, “Not that I didn’t like what I was doing, I just wanted to do a little more as a receiver. I
wanted to get downfield just a little bit more than I was doing. That definitely caused frustration.”
He said the Jets didn’t ask for any explanation of his incidents with the Seahawks, noting that coach Rex
Ryan “kind of didn’t even want to hear about it. He said what’s in the past is in the past.”
Ryan confirmed that in his session with reporters, saying, “everybody makes mistakes.”
Harvin added, “I know what I am. The people here know who I am.”
He said he bears no grudge to the Seahawks. “I have no ill will to that team,” he said. “They brought me a
Super Bowl [victory]. … I have nothing but good things to say about that organization.”
Right tackle Breno Giacomini, a teammate of Harvin’s last season, downplayed the fights. “He’s just a
fierce competitor,” Giacomini said of Harvin. “He really is a good person. I think the media is blowing this
out of proportion. I support him 100 percent.”
Back_to_Top
Jets general manager John Idzik defends Percy Harvin trade (J.P. Pelzman)
The Record
October 20, 2014
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/jets-general-manager-john-idzik-defends-percy-harvin-trade1.1113303
FLORHAM PARK - Jets general manager John Idzik gushed about Percy Harvin’s talent and downplayed his
troubled past Monday in his first meeting with reporters since acquiring the talented but moody wide
receiver from the Seattle Seahawks for a conditional draft pick Friday.
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Daily Clips Cont.
“I think he’s proven in this league that he can be a very dynamic, explosive offensive weapon,” Idzik said
of Harvin, who practiced today for the first time as a Jet.
“This could be a potential coup for the Jets,” Idzik added.
It also could be a nightmare. Multiple reports have surfaced that Harvin punched Seattle teammates
Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin in separate incidents. Tate received a black eye from Harvin during the
week leading up to last season's Super Bowl. He signed as a free agent with Detroit during the off-season.
“We did a ton of background,” said Idzik, who added the Jets performed their “due diligence” on Harvin.
“I just so happen to know a lot of people in Seattle very closely,” said Idzik, who used to work in the
Seahawks’ front office, “so I guess I had that advantage.”
Idzik said he and close friend John Schneider, Seattle’s general manager, “had very forthright
conversations about Percy and what happened there, and I decided to move forward.”
When asked if he believes Harvin will be disruptive, Idzik replied, “Right now, no.”
But he added, “You never know how a player is going to behave, react, respond until you put him in your
environment. Every environment is different. ... We feel like we have a very healthy environment for
players.”
Idzik said the organization plans on “immersing [Harvin] in what it is to act like a Jet, be a Jet, play like a
Jet.”
Under Idzik’s watch, running back Mike Goodson was signed as a free agent in March 2013, and was
charged with weapons possession and drug possession in May 2013. He suffered a season-ending knee
injury in his second game as a Jet and then was AWOL during spring minicamp and was released.
Cornerback Dimitri Patterson was signed as a free agent in April, and he skipped a preseason game against
the Giants before being released.
Back_to_Top
NJ ADVANCED MEDIA
Sheldon Richardson on Percy Harvin: 'Whatever baggage that came with him, it's in Seattle' (Darryl
Slater)
NJ Advanced Media
October 21, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/sheldon_richardson_on_percy_harvin_whatever_baggage_t
hat_came_with_him_to_the_team_its_in_seattle.html
FLORHAM PARK – The Jets are 1-6, spiraling on a six-game losing streak entering Sunday’s home game
against the Bills. They haven’t won since Sept. 7. And they just traded for a wide receiver, Percy Harvin,
who fought two teammates while playing for the Seahawks – presumably a large part of the reason why
they basically fired him.
You can see how this all might add up to some messy drama in the Jets’ locker room, during the final nine
games, as coach Rex Ryan inches toward being fired.
Jets general manager John Idzik would not go so far Monday as promising Harvin wouldn’t be a distraction,
wouldn’t splinter a locker room that has long since tired of losing. But Idzik said the “very healthy
environment” in the Jets’ locker room would help Harvin fit in.
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Daily Clips Cont.
One of the Jets’ star players, second-year defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, is willing to give Harvin
the chance for a fresh start, during what amounts to a nine-game tryout for Harvin, who has no
guaranteed money left on his lucrative contract after this season.
“We’re a family-oriented team,” Richardson said. “So whatever issues, whatever baggage that came with
him to the team, it’s in Seattle. It’s not here. He gets a fresh start here. If he starts making plays, it all will
be forgotten. Whatever he shows us is who we take him for. If he shows that’s who he is (a good
teammate), and I have no reason to believe that he’ll be a problem to the team, it seems like he will be a
good fit. We’re going to see on Sundays the type of player that we get. I’m pretty sure it’ll be the same
electrifying guy you’ve been seeing.”
Richardson said a clean slate is “how I would start it, if I was him. I would just start off fresh, a new team,
and new endeavors.”
While the Jets on Sunday will try to avoid their first seven-game losing streak since 2005, they recognize
that they have come close in most of their losses, falling by two, seven, seven and eight points, in addition
to a 14-point defeat by the buzz saw that is the Broncos, and a 31-0 stinker at San Diego.
At some point, though, the Jets simply need a win to justify all the optimism that continues to come out
of their locker room, and all the work they put in during the week.
“That’s pretty much it,” Richardson said. “Fifteen hours a day (at the Jets’ facility). You’re talking about 6
to 6, or longer than that. Six to 8 for me sometimes, 6 to 9. Got to keep putting work in, though. The
season doesn’t stop. It can get uglier. It can get uglier. That’s one thing we’re really taking heed of. It can
get worse, people. It can get worse.”
Still, Richardson acknowledged that, at 1-6, the Jets “somewhat” must keep their antennas up in the locker
room, to prevent the bickering that often accompanies seasons that are basically over before their
midpoint.
“But when all is said and done, if everybody is accountable of what they’re doing, if they’re making plays
or not making plays, it shouldn’t matter what anybody else says to you,” Richardson said. “Because if you
know you’re messing up, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal, as far as a problem with another player. Because
if you’re holding everybody accountable, something should be said to him. That’s how we go about things.
Nothing is really ever behind … as far as secrets-wise, if it’s a problem, it’s pretty much said.
“There aren’t too many 1-6 teams out here that can still walk around and talk and still converse with other
guys that they work with on a day-to-day basis – and still be kosher about the situation, if that makes any
sense. We’re not fake about it. We’re not just being cordial. Actually, it’s still the same gathering of the
same brothers we were before the season started. We’re still the same tight-knit group that we were.
That’s how we carry ourselves. Until I see otherwise, I don’t see it coming any time soon.”
Richardson said he is “not really” surprised that all remains relatively upbeat with the vibe in the Jets’
locker room.
“Rex wanted it that way,” he said. “He wanted it family-oriented.”
If the Jets’ losing continues, will things remain this way?
Breno Giacomini on Percy Harvin fighting Golden Tate before Super Bowl team picture: 'Who cares?'
(Darryl Slater)
NJ Advanced Media
October 20, 2014
9|Page
Daily Clips Cont.
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/jets_breno_giacomini_on_percy_harvin_fighting_golden_ta
te_before_seahawks_super_bowl_team_picture_wh.html
FLORHAM PARK – So the Jets’ newest wide receiver, Percy Harvin, got into a couple fights with Seahawks
teammates Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin.
Jets right tackle Breno Giacomini, who was in the room for the Harvin-Tate dust-up, does not see what all
the fuss is about.
The Jets on Friday traded a conditional draft pick to Seattle for Harvin. The Seahawks were clearly looking
to rid themselves of Harvin, considering how little they got in return. There are obvious questions now –
questions the Jets’ players and brass faced Monday – about whether Harvin’s behavior issues will continue
with his new team.
Giacomini said he is “not concerned,” and insisted Harvin is “a good teammate.” Harvin’s fights with Tate
and Baldwin have been blown out of proportion, said Giacomini, who played with Seattle from 2010-13,
overlapping one year with Harvin.
The Seahawks apparently saw differently. They took Harvin’s actions seriously enough that they basically
fired him after paying him $19 million for eight games played.
“Almost everybody in this locker room has been in a fight before,” said Giacomini, a seventh-year pro.
“We play football. You know what I’m saying? Oh, it happened twice. Who cares? He’s a good competitor.
That’s what it is. I know it was squashed right away with Golden, because I was there, and I heard the
same thing about Doug. I think it’s being blown up. He’s a good addition to this team and he’s been a great
teammate.”
Harvin fought Tate on the eve of the Super Bowl, reportedly at the Seahawks’ hotel in Jersey City.
Giacomini, whom the Jets signed in free agency after last season, recalled the incident on Monday.
“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “I just turned around and something was going on. But they broke
it up right away, and then we went out and took the team picture, man. It’s just being blown up for no
reason. … People get in fights all the time, especially on the field, off the field. This is the game of football.”
Giacomini did acknowledge, though, that Harvin fighting a teammate right before the Super Bowl is not
exactly normal protocol.
“Is it unusual?” Giacomini said. “Yeah, it might be a little bit. But it happens all the time. He’s a super star.
That’s probably why it’s blown up a little bit. It happened. They squashed it right away. It wasn’t like it
was this big, huge boxing match. Yeah, it’s unusual, but that’s just the competitor that he is, and same
said for Golden Tate.”
Giacomini emphasized that Harvin “can be very feisty on the field” and “plays angry, which is good.”
“I love the way he plays,” said Giacomini, whose locker is now situated next to Harvin’s at the Jets’
complex. “He kind of plays the way I like to play. I think he’s going to fit in fine. I think he’s going to help
this team immediately on Sunday (against the Bills). I don’t know why they let him go or whatever. But to
have Percy Harvin as a Jet is going to help us. Yeah, I’m surprised (Seattle traded him). But guess what? I
think we got the upper hand here. I don’t know who they’re going to draft, but it’s not going to be Percy
Harvin.”
Harvin is basically on a nine-game tryout with the Jets. He has no guaranteed money on his contract after
this season. There are four years remaining on the deal, which is scheduled to pay him a base salary of
$10.5 million next year. The better Harvin plays, and the better he gets along with teammates, the higher
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Daily Clips Cont.
chance he has of seeing that money – or somewhere near it – next season, rather than being cut by the
Jets and settling for less. That is plenty of motivation for Harvin to optimize these final nine games.
“Why wouldn’t he be hungry to go get more?” Giacomini said.
Back_to_Top
Percy Harvin: Jets coach Rex Ryan basically laughed off his fights with Seahawks teammates (Dom
Cosentino)
NJ Advanced Media
October 20, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/percy_harvin_jets_coach_rex_ryan_didnt_want_to_hear_ab
out_his_fights_with_seahawks_teammates.html
FLORHAM PARK — One theme was stressed repeatedly during Percy Harvin's first day at his new gig with
the Jets on Monday: A belief that just because Harvin had issues with his teammates in Seattle doesn't
mean he'll have them he'll have them in North Jersey.
Just something special about the culture within a locker room of a 1-6 team, I suppose.
OK, lame joke. But Harvin also said the Jets never asked him to give any assurances that incidents like the
ones he had in Seattle—specifically, his much-publicized fights with teammates Doug Baldwin and Golden
Tate—wouldn't happen here.
"Not at all," Harvin said. Of Rex Ryan, his new head coach, Harvin said, "I love him. I love him-love him."
More Harvin, on the topic of those fights: "Me and Rex, we all had laughs about it. He kind of didn't want
to even hear about it. He said what’s in the past is in the past, and do the best you can here, and we’ll be
judged from here."
Ryan was later asked why he didn't want to hear Harvin's side of those stories.
"I don't think I need to," Ryan said. "To me, things happen. Every single guy has something or whatever.
To me, it's just all about right now, and moving forward. This is a brand-new team, a brand new start for
Percy, and I think a group of teammates that are excited to bring him in here."
Ryan said he didn't have to set any ground rules for Harvin. He even mentioned past balancing acts with
hard-headed personalities like Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes, which produced mixed results.
Harvin is signed through 2018, but all NFL contracts are flammable: The Jets can cut him after this or any
season through 2017 without owing him an additional penny afterward. For a 1-6 team. there's no risk if
things don't work out these last nine games.
But there's no denying this: In March 2013, the Seahawks were willing to send three draft picks to the
Vikings—including a first-rounder—to acquire Harvin. Friday, they washed their hands of him by taking
just a conditional sixth-round pick to send him to North Jersey.
Ryan's willing to let whatever happens play itself out.
"Some things just don't work at some places," Ryan said. "At other places, they seem to work fine. ... You
see how it works with your group of people."
Ryan was vague when asked whether issues like the ones Harvin had with his Seahawks teammates were
more common than most outsiders think.
"Things happen," Ryan said. "You're not always going to like every one of your teammates or whatever.
My thing is just respect."
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Daily Clips Cont.
Quarterback Geno Smith had a similar take.
"I mean, stuff like that happens in every locker room," Smith said. "You have to be able to manage it."
Smith, perhaps realizing what he had just said, added that there are no such issues in the Jets' locker
room. Because of course he did.
Back_to_Top
How will the Jets use WR Percy Harvin, whose role with Seahawks 'definitely caused frustration'?
(Darryl Slater)
NJ Advanced Media
October 20, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/percy_harvins_role_in_seattle_definitely_caused_frustratio
n_so_how_will_jets_use_him.html
FLORHAM PARK – Wide receiver Percy Harvin does not yet know how the Jets will use him in their West
Coast offense.
He has already met with their offensive coaches. He planned to speak more with them Monday, after his
first practice with the Jets, who on Friday traded a conditional draft pick to Seattle for him. By Wednesday,
he expects to have a better feel for his role in Sunday’s home game against Buffalo, and beyond.
It is safe to say, though, that Harvin wants a somewhat different role than the one he occupied in Seattle’s
offense. Harvin said Monday that the way Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell used him became
a source of frustration.
“It definitely was,” Harvin said. “Not that I didn’t like what I was doing. I just wanted to do a little bit more
as a receiver. I wanted to get downfield just a little bit more than what I was doing. That definitely caused
frustration a little bit.”
Harvin, in five games this season, had 22 catches for 133 yards (6 yards per catch) and 11 rushes for 92
yards (8.4 yards per rush), with a long run of 51 yards.
According to Pro Football Focus, none of Harvin’s 26 targets this season came on deep balls (throws of
20 yards or longer). Harvin has the most overall targets in the NFL of any receiver with no deep-ball
targets.
Harvin pondered the question of whether his role as primarily a slot receiver led to his modest receiving
statistics.
“You could put a lot of different things to the numbers,” he said. “But that was one of the key things that
drove a little frustration.”
Harvin this season ranks 102nd in the NFL in yards gained per pass route run – 1.22. In 2012, his final year
with the Vikings, he finished sixth in the league, with 2.59.
With Seattle this season, Harvin ran 74.3 percent of his routes from the slot, with 14 of his 22 catches
coming from the slot. He gained 83 yards on those 14 catches. Of Harvin’s 26 targets, 18 came when he
lined up in the slot. In 2012, 59.8 percent of Harvin’s routes with the Vikings were from the slot. He made
26 of his 62 catches on slot routes.
Expect the Jets to use Harvin more as an outside receiver, rather than primarily in the slot. After trading
for Harvin, the Jets cut their No. 2 outside receiver, David Nelson, to create a roster spot. Plus, the Jets
already have a starting slot receiver, Jeremy Kerley, though Kerley’s rookie contract expires after this
season.
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Marty Mornhinweg’s offense desperately needs someone to stretch the field deep, and Harvin’s speed
provides that possibility. Harvin can also stretch out a defense from sideline to sideline, with his ability to
thrive on jet sweep plays.
Harvin has proven he can be a big-play threat. In the first four years of his career, he averaged 13.2, 12.2,
11.1 and 10.9 yards per catch. The Jets’ top receiver, Eric Decker, is averaging 13.5 yards per catch this
season. But the Jets don’t have anybody besides Decker who can extend a defense deep, and prevent
opponents from stacking the box to limit the Jets’ running game. Harvin could keep defenses more honest,
more often.
The Jets’ offense played well in Thursday night’s loss at New England – 423 yards, 218 rushing yards, 5.1
yards per rush – but everybody on the offense understands that Harvin could give quarterback Geno Smith
another deep threat, while providing Harvin a chance to be used as a downfield receiver, something he
wants.
“It’s going to be a good addition,” said right tackle Breno Giacomini, who played with Harvin last year in
Seattle. “This offense, we were rolling on Thursday night, it felt like. When you bring in a dynamic player
like that, it’s going to help. How much did we need him? We had all we needed. But to add Percy Harvin
to this offense is going to help. Is he going to stretch the field? Probably. They’ve got to kind of account
for this guy.”
Jets coach Rex Ryan said it is too early, after just one practice, to determine how much – and in what ways
– Harvin will play Sunday against the Bills, though Ryan expects Harvin to return kickoffs.
Ryan noted that Harvin, unlike the Jets’ other offensive players, does not have the benefit of an offseason
in the West Coast system. Harvin has to catch up with learning the offense, which makes it unlikely that
he will be able to play a large chunk of the snaps versus Buffalo. But Ryan does envision Harvin eventually
making an impact.
“From a defensive standpoint, clearly this thing, you’re going to think twice about it, because if you have
some guys that are explosive on the outside – Decker, Harvin – you’ve got to think twice before you put
them all down there (in the box to stop the run) and leave your guys one-on-one outside,” Ryan said. “I
don’t know if it’s fair to him to say, ‘Hey, this guy is going to be an immediate (impact). He’s going to play
50 snaps.’ I don’t think that’s appropriate. Certainly, we didn’t bring him in here to not participate. How
much we play him this week, I’m not sure.”
Back_to_Top
Jets WR Percy Harvin says he did not refuse to re-enter Seahawks' game against Cowboys (Dom
Cosentino)
NJ Advanced Media
October 20, 2014
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/jets_wr_percy_harvin_says_he_did_not_refuse_to_reenter_seahawks_game_against_cowboys.html
FLORHAM PARK — Now that he's been shipped from the Seahawks to the Jets, among the stories leaked
over the weekend to paint Percy Harvin as the Worst Person To Ever Set Foot Inside An NFL Locker Room
is the one about Harvin refusing to go back into last week's loss to the Cowboys.
According to the Seattle Times, Harvin played 26 of 48 snaps against the Cowboys, but he didn't play in
11 of the final 17.
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In his first chance to talk to the New York media on Monday, Harvin was asked whether he had refused
to re-enter the Cowboys game.
"No," he said. He also said he had never refused to go into a game when he was supposed to do so.
Harvin did acknowledge having had an "incident" with teammates Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin in
Seattle, though he declined to discuss them at all.
Harvin and Tate got into a fight on the day before the Super Bowl that ex-Seahawk Michael Robinson said
he had to break up. Harvin's tussle with Baldwin took place just before a preseason game at the Raiders
back in August—a trip Harvin did not make with his teammates.
"I don't really want to get into the details," Harvin said. "The way I go about my business is just keeping
everything in-house, but for whatever reason, they decided to unleash things. Some things did happen.
That's in the past. We move forward. I've talked to Golden and Doug. We've all moved forward from it."
Back_to_Top
NEW YORK POST
Ryan and Idzik’s futures rest in hands of Harvin (George Willis)
New York Post
October 20, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/10/20/rexs-future-rests-in-hands-of-harvin/
There’s a sign on a wall leading to the Jets locker room titled “Act Like a Jet.” Beneath it are the words:
Respect, Accountability, Character and Discipline. The Jets hope Percy Harvin adheres to that message
and becomes the kind of game-changing player they think he can be. The jobs of Rex Ryan, Geno Smith
and John Idzik could depend on it.
On the surface acquiring the talented wide receiver last week might seem like a low-risk move considering
the Jets gave up a conditional draft pick and don’t owe him any guaranteed money beyond this season.
But the reality is if Harvin is unproductive or, even worse, disruptive in the locker room it could cost Ryan,
Smith and Idzik their jobs and prompt a whole new regime for the Jets. No pressure, Percy.
Certainly, everything was positive on Monday as Harvin did his best to make a good first impression. “I’m
going to make the most of the opportunity,” he said after his first practice with the Jets. “I’m just coming
here to be a great teammate [and] a great person. We’re going to have a lot of fun.” Time will tell.
More than locker-room chemistry, the Jets need for him to make an immediate impact on the field. With
the Jets 1-6, the rest of this season is about who stays and who goes in preparation for next year. It’s
about Smith proving he can be a franchise quarterback if given enough weapons, and whether Ryan can
somehow get to 8-8 and make a case to remain the Jets head coach another year.
It’s also about whether Idzik is the right man to lead the franchise. He is already under fire for leaving the
team short-handed at cornerback with more than $20 million in cap space unused. Now he has traded for
a player who reportedly fought with teammates in Seattle and clashed with coaches over his role. “I’m
not a perfect person,” Harvin admitted.
Yet, if he thrives as a Jet, he can help Idzik, Smith and even Ryan keep their respective jobs. “It’s about
making us all better and that’s what this move does,” Smith said.
This move is on Idzik. The common thinking is he’ll get a chance to hire his own coach if Ryan is fired. But
his instincts and alliances are at stake. In making the deal with Seattle where he previously worked in the
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front office, Idzik said he had “added knowledge,” pointing his friendship with Seahawks GM John
Schneider. Idzik will looks foolish if Harvin flops.
For now, the Jets want to focus only on the upside. Idzik talked about his trade being “a potential coup,”
while Ryan and Smith offered their endorsements of the deal. “He has that home-run ability,” Smith said.
“So to have a guy like that who can make explosive plays and give our offense that extra edge I think is
going to make us all better.”
Harvin, 26, said he isn’t going to dwell on the past, but the Jets’ recent history shows little success taking
players with baggage. Running back Mike Goodson was arrested on gun possession charges after signing
with the Jets. Wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who clashed with management in Cleveland, was arrested
on a DWI charge while with the Jets. Cornerback Dmitri Patterson, an Idzik free agent signing this year,
went AWOL during the preseason and was cut, and there’s wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who the Jets
got on the cheap from the Steelers, but was divisive in the locker room, especially after Ryan named him
team captain in 2011.
Still, the Jets had little choice but to take a chance on Harvin, the 2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year while
with the Vikings. If the season continues its current course: Ryan will be fired and the Jets might be looking
for a new quarterback and a new GM. Harvin can help change that direction or push all of them closer to
the exit.
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After benching, LB Coples to start vs. Bills (Brian Costello)
New York Post
October 20, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/10/20/after-benching-lb-coples-to-start-vs-bills/
Quinton Coples spent the beginning of Thursday’s loss to the Patriots in an unfamiliar place — the bench.
The Jets started Jason Babin at outside linebacker over Coples for the first time this season. Coples played
just 33 percent of the Jets’ defensive snaps in the game. Coples said the decision was specific to that game
and he is back starting this week against the Bills.
“For whatever reason, it was that game,” Coples said. “I’m back at my position. I’m back doing things. It
was normal [at practice Monday].”
Jets coach Rex Ryan gave a convoluted answer about why Babin started over Coples, saying he wanted to
show Patriots quarterback Tom Brady a 46 defense. But why would Babin be a better choice than Coples
to play the 46 and why did Coples play so little when the Jets were not in the 46.
“We know we have good players,” Ryan said. “We play them all. And certainly, we played Coples as well.
But again, we’ll play both those players.”
It seems like Ryan just does not want to say his 2012 first-round pick is not playing that well. Babin saw
more time against the Broncos two weeks ago and then got the start against the Patriots. That seems like
the Jets are unhappy with how Coples is playing.
“This room is filled with competition,” Coples said. “At the end of the day, your number can be called to
step down and see if someone else can beat you out or whatever. You never know. You have to be ready
to put your pride to the side and do whatever you can to help the team. They felt he was better at helping
the team at that point.”
QB Geno Smith made some critical remarks last week about how he has been covered by the New York
media while on a conference call with New England reporters. He was asked about those remarks Monday.
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Daily Clips Cont.
“Really, I don’t want to talk about it,” Smith said. “I understand that everyone has a job to do. In no way
was that meant to disrespect anyone’s job. My focus isn’t even on that. My focus is on the next opponent,
which is the Buffalo Bills.”
The Jets did not have to provide an official injury report from Monday’s practice, but WR Eric Decker
(hamstring) walked inside as drills began.
The Jets won’t have to deal with the Bills’ running back tandem of C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. Spiller,
who broke his collarbone on Sunday and had surgery on Monday, could miss the rest of the season.
Jackson is dealing with a groin injury and could miss four weeks.
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Jets GM: Percy Harvin will fit locker room, trade ‘a potential coup’ (Brian Costello)
New York Post
October 20, 2014
http://nypost.com/2014/10/20/jets-gm-percy-harvin-will-fit-locker-room-trade-a-potential-coup/
Jets general manager John Idzik said he did his homework before making the trade for troubled wide
receiver Percy Harvin and is confident Harvin will not be a problem.
“I look it as this could be a potential coup for the Jets in acquiring a player of Percy’s talent and caliber,”
Idzik said Monday. “It’s really immersing him into what it is to act like a Jet, be a Jet and play like a Jet. I’m
confident that he’ll respond.”
Idzik better hope so.
The GM made the deal with the Seahawks on Friday, sending a sixth-round pick that could become a
fourth-rounder to Seattle for Harvin. Reports have surfaced since the trade of Harvin fighting with
teammates and refusing to re-enter a game.
Idzik seems to feel the Jets’ culture will keep Harvin in line. That’s an interesting premise, considering the
Seahawks just won the Super Bowl.
“You never know how a player is going to behave, react, respond until you put him in your environment,”
Idzik said. “Every environment’s different. In Percy’s case, the University of Florida, Minnesota, Seattle,
they’ve all different environments than here in New York. We have a very healthy environment for players.
That’s a tribute to the character that we have in our locker room currently. Percy will be the benefactor
of that. I think we’ve got to let that play out. Let’s see how he responds. We have a very healthy
environment for Percy Harvin.”
At 1-6, the Jets season feels like it’s already over. So, why make the deal now?
“Our premise will always be if there is a chance to improve our team, no matter what time of year it is
whether it be early- to mid-October or early- to mid-April, we’re going to do it,” Idzik said. “When this
chance presented itself, we felt like we wanted to take advantage of it, that Percy could come in and help
our squad.”
Idzik said Harvin spent the weekend meeting with the Jets’ offensive staff. They hope he can have an
immediate impact.
“I don’t think it’s too late,” Idzik said. “A lot’s going to depend on how quickly he can come up to speed.
Us obtaining him, we think he can be a great help for our offense.”
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16 | P a g e
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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Percy Harvin will fit right in with NY Jets, says Gang Green tackle Breno Giacomini (Seth Walder)
New York Daily News
October 21, 2014
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/harvin-fit-jets-current-teammate-breno-giacominiarticle-1.1981253
Former Seahawk Breno Giacomini was present for the now infamous Percy Harvin-Golden Tate fight in
the run up to Super Bowl XLVIII, but the Jets’ right tackle thinks the altercation is being made out to be
more than it was.
“I think the media’s blown that up,” Giacomini said. “It was squashed. It was squashed right away. I think
it’s just being blown up for no reason.”
Harvin’s character has come under question following the trade that sent him from Seattle to the Jets
over the weekend and tales of fights with Tate and Doug Baldwin emerged.
“Almost everybody in this locker room’s been in a fight before, we play football,” Giacomini said. “Oh, it
happened twice? Who cares. He’s a good competitor, that’s what it is.”
He did note he thought it was unusual to have a physical altercation with a teammate right before the
Super Bowl but still did not think it was a big deal.
“I’m not concerned. He’s a good teammate,” the tackle said. “I’m not concerned how he’s going to fit in
here. He’s an explosive player, and I’m glad to have him.”
Mostly, Giacomini seemed excited to be reunited with his old teammate.
“Guess what, I think we got the upper hand,” he said of the trade. “I don’t know who they’re going to
draft, but it’s not going to be Percy Harvin.”
Geno Smith expressed no reservations about his new weapon. At one point, the QB claimed he didn’t
know what happened with Harvin at Seattle, then said, “I mean, stuff like that happens in every locker
room. You just have to be able to manage it.”
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Rex Ryan on Percy Harvin addition to NY Jets: 'Nobody's perfect' (Seth Walder)
New York Daily News
October 21, 2014
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-insider-rex-ryan-percy-harvin-perfect-article1.1981270
This may be the first time the Jets have acquired a controversial wide receiver under John Idzik, but it isn’t
new to Rex Ryan.
Asked if he had ever dealt with a talented but hot-headed player in the past, the head coach smiled,
because he immediately recognized the obvious comparisons.
“Look, we had some,” Ryan said. “I mean when Braylon (Edwards) came, there were some things about
Braylon I guess. Braylon did just fine here. Santonio Holmes, I know it’s reported, I thought Holmes did
fine.”
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Daily Clips Cont.
Ryan might have a rose-colored memory of his former players. Holmes’ list of incidents extends on and
on, but notably includes being benched with the season on the line after getting into an argument with
Wayne Hunter in the huddle in Miami.
Edwards largely stayed out of trouble in New York but was arrested for drunk driving in 2010.
“Nobody is perfect,” Ryan said. “That’s the one thing I know for a fact that Percy has in common with
every single person in this building, including everybody in here. Nobody is perfect.”
GENO: NO COMMENT
Last week when speaking to Boston reporters Geno Smith was critical of the coverage he has received,
saying things have been “miscommunicated,” “misprinted” and “misunderstood” with the local media.
Back_to_Top
GM John Idzik believes NY Jets offer 'healthy environment' for Percy Harvin (Seth Walder)
New York Daily News
October 21, 2014
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/gm-john-idzik-jets-healthy-home-percy-harvinarticle-1.1981290
Percy Harvin won two national championships at the University of Florida and took home a Super Bowl
ring last year with Seattle, but apparently he needs an environment like the one in Florham Park, the one
that has fostered the 1-6 Jets, to help him get over his off-the-field issues.
“In Percy’s case, University of Florida, Minnesota, Seattle, they’re all different environments than here in
New York,” GM John Idzik said on Monday. “We have a very healthy environment for Percy Harvin.”
So healthy that the Jets appear to have a lame-duck coach and a floundering GM overseeing a team that
is all but finished two weeks before Halloween.
But Idzik is excited about his new acquisition, a talented receiver and kick returner who only became
available to the Jets because of his difficulty getting along with his teammates and coaches at previous
stops.
“This can be a potential coup for the Jets,” Idzik said.
The Jets sent a conditional pick (a sixth-rounder that can become a fourth-rounder) to the Seahawks over
the weekend to obtain Harvin, who got into physical altercations with Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin
during his time in Seattle.
He also refused to re-enter the Seahawks’ loss to the Cowboys in Week 6, according to sources.
Why will his behavior change with the Jets?
“It’s really (about) immersing him in what it is to act like a Jet, be a Jet, play like a Jet,” Idzik said.
Still, the GM could not ignore the risks associated with Harvin. Asked directly if he was worried Harvin
would be disruptive, Idzik said, “Right now, no.”
“You never know how a player is going to behave, react, respond until you put him in your environment,”
he added.
On Monday, Harvin acknowledged the altercations he had with Tate and Baldwin but denied refusing to
re-enter the game against Dallas. He also said anger management was “not at all” a problem for him. He
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Daily Clips Cont.
said he had no ill will toward the Seahawks but at the same time noted, “For whatever reason, they
decided to unleash things.”
The Jets are so badly hoping that Harvin left his transgressions back in Seattle that they didn’t even want
to have a serious talk with him about the incidents.
“I didn’t think I need to (hearing Harvin’s explanation),”Rex Ryan said. “This is a brand new team, a brand
new start for Percy.”
Not surprisingly, Harvin was happy to leave the past alone.
“I came here, me and Rex, we had laughs about it,” Harvin said Monday. “He kind of didn’t even want to
hear about it, he said what’s in the past is in the past, and do the best you can here, and we’ll be judged
from here.”
Back_to_Top
If NY Jets plan on this to work, Percy Harvin better change on fly (Manish Mehta)
New York Daily News
October 21, 2014
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-jets-plan-work-percy-harvin-better-changefly-article-1.1981307
The winding, treacherous path inside Percy Harvin’s head is filled with anger.
Say the wrong thing and you might get body slammed into a locker room hamper. Act the wrong way and
you might get a shiner. Don’t give him the ball enough and you might pay the price.
Harvin arrived with a trail of character questions that won’t disappear simply because John Idzik, Rex Ryan
and his new teammates rolled out the red carpet for the mercurial talent on Monday. He deserves a
chance to prove that he is not the teammate-pummeling, ball-hog malcontent portrayed in recent days,
but there are enough recent disturbing events to wonder whether an implosion is on the horizon.
The 1-6 Jets are in a delicate state. There were rumblings of discontent in the organization in the wake of
Geno Smith’s movie escapade, but Ryan has done well to keep his locker room from fracturing. Although
Smith insisted that “we have guys who can manage any situation” to avoid locker room strife, it could be
dangerous to inject Harvin’s combustible presence when the dam might break if the losses continue to
pile up.
“You really don’t know until he gets immersed into the Jets culture,” said Idzik, who has the unenviable
distinction of bringing in knuckleheads later arrested for drugs and weapons charges (Mike Goodson) and
AWOL head cases (Dimitri Patterson).
The Seahawks gave away Harvin to the most harmless team it could find: an AFC bottom feeder that has
as much chance of coming back to haunt the defending Super Bowl champions as 52-year-old Jerry Rice.
Harvin’s talent is undeniable even if he isn’t a conventional wideout. He is a playmaker, pure and simple,
but the risk is more than you think. The financial commitment for the rest of the season (around $7 million)
is manageable, but the Jets can’t overlook the potentially damaging effects that Harvin could have on a
young quarterback. Harvin denied that he had any issues with Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, but
two sources told the Daily News that the receiver resented his signal caller for myriad reasons.
Smith needs more weapons, not distractions.
Harvin can be Smith’s best friend or a whining nuisance. It’s up to him. He has the skill set to help Smith
in ways that nobody else can on the roster. Harvin’s admission that he grew frustrated with the way he
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Daily Clips Cont.
was used in Seattle is troubling. He denied reports that he refused to go back into the game two weeks
ago in a loss to the Cowboys.
Harvin admits to the controversial stories swirling about him in Seattle, which is troubling because the
Jets don't need another distraction.
“I just wanted to do a little bit more as a receiver,” Harvin, who had only 41 offensive touches in eight
games with the Seahawks, said of his role in Seattle. “I wanted to get downfield just a little bit more than
what I was doing. So that definitely caused frustration a little bit.”
Harvin’s history of clashing with coaches and teammates stretches back to high school. His troubles in the
NFL include heated exchanges with Vikings coaches Brad Childress (the receiver was kicked out of a
practice for dogging it) and Leslie Frazier (on the sideline and trainers room) and a trade demand that he
later rescinded. He got into fights with Seahawks teammates Golden Tate (days before the Super Bowl)
and Doug Baldwin (in the run-up to the preseason finale).
“All I can ask is people to judge me off of what you see,” Harvin said.
Amateur psychologists will insist Harvin, who denied having anger management issues, needs help. They’ll
point to Ravens WR Steve Smith, who has turned youthful rage into controlled fury through the years.
They’ll look at Bears WR Brandon Marshall, who turned the corner after being diagnosed with Borderline
Personality Disorder a few years ago.
Back_to_Top
NEW YORK TIMES
Since Nobody’s Perfect, Jets Think Percy Harvin Could Be a Great Addition (Ben Shpigel)
New York Times
October 10, 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/21/sports/football/since-nobodys-perfect-jets-think-percy-harvincould-be-a-great-addition.html?ref=football&_r=0
FLORHAM PARK, N. J. — With an 11-word summation of the boldest move of his tenure as the Jets’ general
manager, John Idzik fashioned himself as an oracle.
“I look at it as this could be a potential coup,” Idzik said.
And it could be, if Percy Harvin, acquired Friday from Seattle, diversifies the Jets’ offense, adding speed
and versatility, while preserving what may be the most harmonious 1-6 locker room in league history. It
could be as well, if Harvin justifies his reputation as a malcontent, forged by a series of incidents both
recent and distant, and emerges as a disruptive force.
On Harvin’s first day around his new teammates, the Jets endeavored to reshape his image as diligently
as they taught him the playbook.
Coach Rex Ryan was angered by errors in Thursday’s loss, but found positives in the Jets’ effort.
The Jets' Nick Folk attempted a last-second, 58-yard field-goal that was blocked.
The rookie running back Andre Williams, called upon to carry a bigger load, sputtered at key moments on
Sunday. Coach Rex Ryan talked about mistakes, how everybody makes them, how nobody is perfect. Idzik
lauded the team’s culture. Offensive lineman Breno Giacomini, who played with Harvin in Seattle last
season, vouched for him, calling portrayals of his troublemaking as overblown.
And besides.
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Daily Clips Cont.
“He catches the ball and he can run really fast,” Giacomini said. “So it’s pretty good.”
As if reading from cue cards, Harvin said six times that he was looking forward to making the most of this
opportunity. That Harvin even has this opportunity — and that the Jets had the opportunity to acquire
him — is staggering, given that he is 26 years old and ranks among the more dangerous offensive players
in the N.F.L. Teams strive to keep those kinds of players, not get rid of them.
Not the Seahawks, though, whose general manager, John Schneider, said in a radio interview on 710 ESPN
in Seattle on Sunday that “it wasn’t a good fit” and “it became apparent that things weren’t going to work
out.”
It would seem that several factors led to Harvin’s departure, among them his combustible personality, his
injury history (hip, ankle, migraine) and his nominal fit in the Seahawks’ scheme — both a source of
Harvin’s frustration, as he acknowledged Monday, and his meager production (22 catches for 133 yards,
11 rushes for 92 yards and a touchdown).
Harvin said that he did not know why he was traded, dealt 19 months after the Seahawks sent Minnesota
a package of draft picks for him, but that he was surprised. In that, he was not alone.
That a 1-6 team swooped in for Harvin seemingly reflected at once a desire to better evaluate quarterback
Geno Smith over the final nine games and a tacit admission of an off-season miscalculation: that Idzik had
not supplied Ryan, or Smith, with sufficient offensive talent.
“Pure and simple, this move is like any other move,” Idzik said. “It’s a move to improve the Jets.”
It is, at bottom, a low-risk proposition for the Jets, who owe Harvin $7.1 million this season but no
guaranteed money through the end of his contract in 2018. If this experiment fails, or if Idzik opts not to
incur Harvin’s $10.5 million salary next season, the Jets can cut him with no financial penalty.
Substantive talks developed last week, when Idzik started having what he called “very forthright”
conversations with Schneider, his former boss in Seattle, and other members of the Seahawks’ staff.
It can be inferred, then, that they discussed the altercation Harvin admitted having with one teammate,
Golden Tate, the night before the Super Bowl, and a scrap he had with another teammate, Doug Baldwin,
during the preseason.
It can also be inferred that when Idzik stressed that the Jets had done their “due diligence,” they
investigated Harvin’s disputes with coaches in Minnesota, where, after an argument, he once threw a
weight at Coach Brad Childress, or his record at the University of Florida, where, The Sporting News
reported, he threw his position coach to the ground by his neck.
“A player’s behavior on and off the field is always important to us,” said Idzik, who has added that at least
four players — Mike Goodson, Quincy Enunwa, Dimitri Patterson and, now, Harvin — had character or
legal issues that existed beforehand or surfaced after they joined the team. He added, “That said, you
never know how a player is going to behave, react, respond until you put him in your environment.”
Asked if he worried about Harvin becoming a divisive presence, Idzik said, “Not right now, no.”
Harvin said he did not have anger-management issues. He said he did not pull himself out of Seattle’s
Week 6 loss to Dallas, when he touched the ball for a total of minus-1 yard, nor, he added, had he ever
done so. He said he never asked for a trade or expressed his unhappiness.
“I’m definitely not a perfect person,” Harvin said. “I have a lot of things that I wish I could have done a
little differently. But I’m moving forward. I’m learning from those lessons.”
When Harvin tried explaining some of those things to Ryan, he was stopped.
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Daily Clips Cont.
“To me, things happen,” Ryan said, adding, “Obviously, we feel good about him being here, or he wouldn’t
be here.”
And now that Harvin is here, the challenge is twofold: integrating him into the offense and accelerating
his learning curve. Harvin, who will wear No. 16, will return kicks Sunday against Buffalo. Until he digests
the playbook, his role could be limited.
“All I can say,” he said, “is just judge me off of what you see.”
WALL STREET JOURNAL
Jets Believe Harvin Deal Is a ‘Coup’ (Alex Raskin)
Wall Street Journal
October 20, 2014
http://online.wsj.com/articles/jets-believe-deal-for-percy-harvin-is-a-coup1413853314?tesla=y&mod=WSJ_NY_Sports_LEFTTopStories&mg=reno64wsj&url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB11298764822961154139104580226842139035222.html?mod
=WSJ_NY_Sports_LEFTTopStories
FLORHAM PARK, N.J.— Percy Harvin is a former offensive Rookie of the Year and an All-Pro. He’s also a
Super Bowl champion, having returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown in the Seattle Seahawks’
blowout win over the Denver Broncos last February.
The 26-year-old wide receiver and kick returner has also been described in less flattering terms, which
helps explain why the Jets only had to offer Seattle a conditional sixth-round pick when they completed a
trade for Harvin on Friday.
Depending on the report, Harvin is a bad teammate with an anger-management problem who refused to
go back into Seattle’s Week 6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and who may have fought former teammate
Golden Tate in the days before the Super Bowl. According to one report, via ESPN, the Seahawks were
prepared to cut Harvin outright if they weren’t able to find a trade partner.
Jets general manager John Idzik worked in Seattle’s front office from 2007 to 2012 and claimed to have
“added knowledge” of whatever transpired within the Seahawks organization, although he was already
with the Jets when Harvin arrived in Seattle in 2013.
“I just happen to know a lot of people in Seattle very closely,” he said. “We had very forthright
conversations about Percy and what happened there.”
Without providing further details, he and Harvin downplayed those unflattering reports on Monday at the
Jets’ training camp, opting instead to emphasize the future of a team that, at 1-6, might not have a very
bright one.
The Jets rank 28th in the NFL in points and 26th in yards this season, and they have yet to return a punt
or kickoff for a touchdown. In Harvin, they believe they may have a weapon in the mold of former fan
favorites Brad Smith and Leon Washington, both of whom, like Harvin, rank high on the NFL’s all-time list
of kickoff-return touchdowns. (Harvin is tied for eighth with five.)
“This could be a potential coup for the Jets,” said Idzik, who declared that it’s not too late for the team to
become competitive this season.
Harvin shared Idzik’s enthusiasm for the trade—not always expected from a talented player going from a
Super Bowl champion to a 1-6 mess—and denied having anger issues or ever refusing to play. But he said
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his main problem in Seattle, besides missing most of last season with a leg injury, had more to do with not
seeing the ball enough.
“Not that I didn’t like what I was doing, I just wanted to do a little bit more as a receiver,” he said. “I
wanted to just get downfield just a little bit more than what I was doing. So that definitely caused
frustration a little bit, but that was that.”
Harvin may have a point. Through five games in Seattle this season, the former University of Florida star
had 22 receptions on just 26 targets, the NFL’s second-highest catch percentage among qualifying
receivers, according to Pro Football Focus. But 5.2 targets a game is low for a receiver making nearly $11
million this year. (Harvin’s average salary is about $10.7 million, but the remaining four years of his
contract aren’t guaranteed.)
Then there is his 6-yards-a-catch average this season, a career low.
Jets quarterback Geno Smith is averaging just over 6 yards per attempt, the lowest among NFL starters,
so Harvin’s desire to run deeper routes should help the offense spread the field.
Head coach Rex Ryan has complained about opponents crowding the line of scrimmage against the Jets’
offense in anticipation of the run.
“From a defensive standpoint, clearly you’re going to think twice about [stacking the box], because if you
have some guys that are explosive on the outside, [wide receivers Eric] Decker or Harvin, whoever is out
there, you’ve got to think twice before you put them all down there and leave your guys one-on-one on
the outside,” he said.
Ryan said Harvin will also return kicks for the Jets, who enter their Week 8 matchup with Buffalo 15th in
the NFL with a 23.7-yard average on kick returns, close to Harvin’s season mark of 23.5.
Then there’s the issue of Harvin’s health, which is especially concerning for an athletic wide receiver and
former high-school track star. He missed 15 games last season following hip surgery and he suffered a
concussion in the postseason. Before that, the Minnesota Vikings placed Harvin on injured reserve in 2012
because of ankle issues. Even this season, Harvin has dealt with a sore hamstring.
But Idzik wasn’t asked to defend Harvin’s body on Monday, just his character and his ability, both of which
the Jets believe are up to their standards.
“I think he’s a pretty explosive talent,” said Idzik. “I think Percy has shown in this league, not only in
Seattle—he did have his moments in Seattle, particularly last postseason—but I think he’s proven in this
league that he can be a really dynamic, explosive offensive weapon.”
Limiting Harvin’s explosiveness to the field of play will be paramount.
Back_to_Top
ESPN NEW YORK
John Idzik hire is anything but a coup (Ian O’Conner)
ESPN New York
October 20, 2014
http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/11736118/new-york-jets-hiring-john-idzik-anythingcoup?ex_cid=espnapi_public
23 | P a g e
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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Percy Harvin has been in enough fights in his time as a professional and amateur
football player to be represented by Bob Arum, and yet the latest man to employ him, New York Jets
general manager John Idzik, called the acquisition a "potential coup."
The Jets usually lead the league in a lot of things, but potential coups sure isn't one of them.
Despite Harvin's turbulent history of confrontations with teammates and coaches, Idzik spent part of his
Monday forecasting good things for Harvin because, in part, the Jets' locker room and facilities amount to
what the GM called "a very healthy environment."
The Seattle Seahawks just won the Super Bowl. A safe bet says their environment is at least a little
healthier than the Jets'.
Either way, the Seahawks dumped Harvin on their former front-office colleague for what will likely be an
inconsequential draft pick. For Idzik, the trade was an admission he'd made awful choices with his roster.
He waited until the Jets were 1-6 before finally spending some of the $20 million-plus available to him
under the salary cap, and his desperation was clear in the form of the player now costing him $7.1 million.
Harvin is a bad actor who has had his share of injuries and who followed his dramatic Super Bowl
touchdown with a grand total of 225 receiving and rushing yards in five games. Even though Harvin is
more of a specialist reliant on creative play-calling, he does have two things the Jets lack -- talent and
speed.
This trade isn't necessarily a bad one, even if it cuts against the grain of Idzik's stated goal of building
through the draft and staying clear of overpriced names with overinflated reputations. The next time Idzik
tries to claim character matters in his personnel assessments, someone will remind him he hired Harvin
and fired David Nelson, an all-world good guy who devotes his off-days to the noble cause of supporting
Haitian orphans.
But this is about Idzik's big-picture failings, the mistakes in free agency and the draft (he selected three
wide receivers in the spring; not one is on the active roster) that led him to the Harvin deal. Hard as it
might be to believe, Idzik gave away an entire season. He punted on 2014, and only after he got all-out
blitzed by the fans and news media did he finally cry uncle and burn some of Woody Johnson's cash.
You might not think it's a big deal that Idzik quit on 2014 because, hey, these Jets weren't going anywhere
anyway, right? This season was supposed to be merely about developing Geno Smith (or coming to the
conclusion that he is incapable of being developed) and dumping Rex Ryan, the coach Idzik never wanted
in the first place. As soon as those two things happened, conventional thinking went, the GM could put
his master plan in place.
Since when is a New York team that hasn't advanced to the championship round of its sport in nearly half
a century allowed to tank a season? Since when is a New York GM who's been on the job 15 minutes
allowed to rule out the possibility that something magical could unfold?
Mike Tannenbaum wasn't expected to take the Jets to the playoffs in 2006, in his first year as GM, not
after the team was 4-12 in 2005. Tannenbaum went 10-6 with his rookie coach, Eric Mangini. The 2007
Giants were supposed to get their quarterback and coach run out of town, and Eli Manning and Tom
Coughlin won the Super Bowl instead, after the team's rookie GM, Jerry Reese, pitched a perfect game in
the draft. Four seasons later, the Giants were a 7-7 wreck staggering into the holiday season before they
caught fire on Christmas Eve against the Jets and won it all one more time.
Forget the Giants for a minute. Return to the AFC East, and rewind your thoughts to Sept. 23, 2001, the
day the Jets beat the New England Patriots, knocked out Drew Bledsoe and left Bill Belichick staring at an
0-2 record and the potential end of his head coaching career.
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Belichick walked off his home field that day with a combined 41-57 record in Cleveland and New England
and with a sinking feeling he was about to endure his seventh losing season in eight tries. Bledsoe's
replacement, a non-prospect named Tom Brady, was dreadful the following two weeks, and the Patriots
had 5-11 written all over them. Belichick was going to get fired a second time, and given his personality - or lack thereof -- no right-minded owner would've given him another shot.
Those Patriots won the Super Bowl, their first of three, and Brady-Belichick became one of the greatest
quarterback-coach tandems of all time. This isn't to say Geno Smith and Rex Ryan were ever going to win
a playoff game together, never mind a ticker-tape parade; this is to say crazy, unpredictable things do
happen in sports, especially when executives allow the chance of them happening.
As general manager of the Jets, Idzik was tasked with putting his coach and quarterback in the best
position to succeed. He failed miserably in that pursuit, and this way-too-little, way-too-late grab for
Harvin changes nothing. Any novice could've reviewed the Jets roster long ago and concluded it lacked
speed, athleticism and playmaking ability at the skill positions.
Eric Decker didn't even solve half the problem at wide receiver. Cornerback? Idzik wasted a million bucks
on the talent-free likes of Dimitri Patterson and wouldn't consider taking back a Hall of Famer-to-be still
in his prime, Darrelle Revis, who made it clear he'd rather return to the Jets than play for the franchise
that has tormented them.
Idzik could've looked Red Auerbach smart had he applied a little common sense to the situation. Tampa
Bay handed the Jets the first-round pick that would be Sheldon Richardson, paid $16 million to rehab
Revis's surgically repaired knee, sent him back into free agency after one year and gave Idzik the chance
to sign the corner for a reasonable $12 million. Ryan desperately wanted Revis, too, and Idzik couldn't
have cared less.
As he was about to sign with New England in March, Revis and his agent sat down with Belichick and
Patriots owner Robert Kraft in Palm Beach, Florida. The Jets were a topic of conversation in the meeting,
of course, and when it was suggested Revis should line up at wide receiver in the two games against his
former team, if only as a form of payback, Kraft enjoyed a belly laugh over the visual.
People are still laughing at Idzik's Jets. Beyond passing on Revis, Idzik swung and missed on the fourthrounder Tampa Bay gave him for the cornerback; Jalen Saunders is already going, going, gone.
Revis's replacement, Dee Milliner, has done nothing but advance his college trend of getting hurt, thereby
hardening Idzik's standing as an underwhelming evaluator on draft day and summoning the knocks against
him before Woody Johnson put him in charge.
Idzik had a history as a contract negotiator and salary-cap guy, not a chief personnel guy, which might
explain why nobody interviewed him for a GM position before the Jets did, Seahawks included. None of
this stopped Johnson from putting his franchise in the hands of an inexperienced candidate whose
personality doesn't exactly match up with the marketplace. For those suffering Knicks fans old enough to
recall, Idzik reminds of Scott Layden, a hopelessly overmatched executive who cowered under the media
glare and preferred to hide behind tall buildings.
It wasn't much of a surprise this past week when Idzik let Ryan make a fool of himself by defending the
GM's indefensible draft record. Ryan might deserve to get fired, but over the past two years he's been
better at his job than Idzik has been at his.
In the end, fair or not, the GM will survive long enough to hire Rex's replacement. It would be nice if Idzik
actually got that personnel call right. You know, it might even be a potential coup.
Percy Harvin: 'All smiles' with Jets (Rich Cimini)
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ESPN New York
October 20, 2014
http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/11735955/percy-harvin-welcomes-new-opportunity-newyork-jets?ex_cid=espnapi_public
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Percy Harvin went from the defending Super Bowl champions to a 1-6 team, but
his upbeat demeanor Monday suggested he's glad to be out of Seattle.
Admitting he was frustrated by his role with the Seattle Seahawks, Harvin said he welcomes a fresh start
with the New York Jets, who traded a sixth-round conditional pick last Friday for the mercurial wide
receiver.
Harvin acknowledged he was involved in altercations with former teammates Doug Baldwin and Golden
Tate, who received a black eye during the run-up to the Super Bowl last February. He wanted to clear the
air with his new employers, but he said coach Rex Ryan laughed and wasn't interested in re-living the past.
John Idzik, who referred to Percy Harvin as "a potential coup" Monday, has been anything but over the
past two years, Ian O'Connor writes. Story
"The coaching staff, the management, on to the owner, they're not worried about (my past)," Harvin told
reporters after his first practice. "I even tried to explain a couple of things. They told me to be quiet and
not to worry about it. It's been all smiles here."
Harvin will make his Jets debut Sunday against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. He will play receiver
and return kickoffs, but his role on offense will hinge on how much of the playbook he can absorb.
The Jets were thrilled to add Harvin, downplaying his reputation as a disruptive presence in the locker
room.
"I'm very comfortable with him," said Ryan, who believes Harvin will add a playmaking dimension on
offense.
For most of his 10-minute session with the media, Harvin was grilled about his stunning ouster from the
Seahawks. They unloaded him less than two years after acquiring him for three draft picks, including a
first-rounder, from the Minnesota Vikings.
Harvin said his role "definitely was" a source of frustration, but he denied reports that he refused to reenter the game in last week's loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
"Not that I didn't like what I was doing, I just wanted to do a little more as a receiver," Harvin said. "I
wanted to just get downfield, just a little bit more than what I was doing, so that definitely caused
frustration a little bit."
In six games, Harvin had only 22 receptions for only 133 yards and no touchdowns.
Harvin also was upset that word of his fight with Tate, which occurred before the Seahawks took their
team picture at the Super Bowl, was leaked to the media.
"We had an incident," he said. "I don't really want to get into the details. The way I go about my business
is keeping everything in-house. For whatever reason, they decided to unleash things."
Harvin said he didn't ask to be traded, adding that he never expressed his unhappiness to the coaches. He
admitted he made mistakes in Seattle, but that he wants to move on.
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Right tackle Breno Giacomini, who played last season for the Seahawks, said he witnessed the Harvin-Tate
scuffle. He downplayed it, saying, "Who cares? It was squashed right away. ... People get in fights all the
time. This is the game of football."
Giacomini described Harvin as "a good teammate," saying the media was blowing the altercations out of
proportion.
Harvin, known to be surly as times, smiled throughout his interview session, appearing slightly nervous.
He met Ryan in 2009, when the Jets were targeting him in the draft.
"I love him," Harvin said of Ryan. "I love him, love him."
Harvin's locker is only two away from backup quarterback Michael Vick, and that's no coincidence. They
grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and they've been close friends for years. Harvin said it's a "blessing"
to be with Vick.
Harvin is signed through 2018, but there's no guaranteed money in his contract beyond this season, so
the Jets can cut him without any cap implications. He has plenty of incentive to make this work -- a $10.5
million salary in 2015.
"It's definitely a place I want to be for a long time," he said.
GM: Harvin deal a 'coup' for Jets (Rich Cimini)
ESPN New York
October 20, 2014
http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/11734041/gm-percy-harvin-deal-potential-coup-new-yorkjets?ex_cid=espnapi_public
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets introduced wide receiver Percy Harvin on Monday, calling him
a dynamic player who could galvanize their moribund offense.
"This could be a potential coup for the New York Jets," general manager John Idzik said, commenting for
the first time on last Friday's blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.
The defending Super Bowl champions had no use for Harvin, giving him away for a conditional sixth-round
pick. The Jets were willing to look past his lack of production and off-field problems, pulling the trigger on
a deal that was out of character for the usually conservative Idzik.
At 1-6, the Jets are non-contenders, but Idzik insisted "it's not too late."
Harvin, who spent the weekend learning the playbook with the offensive coaches, practiced for the first
time with his new team, wearing No. 16. He's slated to meet the media after practice.
Idzik said the Jets did "a ton of background work" on Harvin, who has a history of altercations with
teammates and coaches. Idzik, a former Seahawks executive, said his familiarity with his former team was
an "advantage" as they performed due diligence.
"It's about looking forward, understanding what may have happened in the past -- I wasn't there, he was,"
Idzik said. "That's really in the rear-view mirror. It's about learning from your experiences, like everybody
else, and we're looking forward."
Harvin, a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2009, had issues dating to his college days at Florida.
The most infamous incident occurred on the eve of the Super Bowl last February, when he gave teammate
Golden Tate a black eye during a locker-room fight.
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Idzik said he's not concerned about Harvin's behavior, insisting he will thrive in the Jets' "very healthy
environment."
The Jets, ranked 31st in passing offense, could use Harvin's speed and playmaking ability. Chances are, he
will be an every-down player and, possibly, return kickoffs.
"Pure and simple, bringing a player like Percy in is to help our offense," said Idzik, who began substantive
discussions with the Seahawks before last Thursday's loss to the New England Patriots. "He's an explosive
player, he's a dynamic player. I think he can help our offense.
"I think we have some weapons, I really do. We're developing those weapons. We're developing as an
offense. We're developing around Geno [Smith]. Percy will help in that regard."
Idzik has come under fire for not doing enough to improve the roster, sitting on $21 million in cap space,
but he insisted this move wasn't made in reaction to public pressure.
Back_to_Top
METRO NEW YORK
Jets add sizzle to struggling passing game with Percy Harvin Giacomini: Media blowing up Golden Tate
(Kristian Dyer)
Metro New York
October 20, 2014
http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/10/20/jets-add-sizzle-struggling-passing-game-percyharvin/
The Jets’ trade for Percy Harvin may have an air of desperation on the surface, but at 1-6 this season is
hanging only by a thread.
Character issues aside, Harvin brings speed and talent to the Jets. He becomes the biggest home run threat
among their receiving corps and adds some serious spice to their offense as a whole.
“Anytime that we have a chance, our premise will always be if there is a chance to improve our team —
no matter what time of year, whether it be in early- to mid-October or early- to mid-April — we’re going
to do it,” general manager John Idzik said. “When this chance presented itself, we felt like we wanted to
take advantage of it. Percy could come in here and help our squad.”
Harvin’s career to date has shown a player with a tendency for injuries, but also one who is dynamic with
the ball in his hands. In Seattle, his numbers slipped in an offense geared toward patiently moving the ball
down the field. Harvin could thrive in the Jets’ West Coast offense.
The offense, under second-year quarterback Geno Smith, has struggled. They rank 26th in total offense
and 28th in scoring offense. And Smith hasn’t taken a big step from his rookie campaign as the Jets average
just 2.1 yards per game more in the passing offense than last year. They are second-to-last in the NFL in
passing yards per game, ahead of only Minnesota with rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater. A lot of the blame
has fallen on the lack of weapons, but the Jets still need the erratic Smith to deliver Harvin the ball.
“Pure speed. The guy’s fast. He has great hands and runs good routes,” Smith said. “We got to get him
caught up to speed with the offense and we’re putting things together for him. He’s a dynamic player.
He’s a great player. We’re lucky to have him.”
Back_to_Top
Percy Harvin fight (Kristian Dyer)
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Daily Clips Cont.
Metro New York
October 20, 2014
http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/10/20/breno-giacomini-media-blowing-golden-tatepercy-harvin-fight/
According to Jets right tackle Breno Giacomini, the fight between Golden Tate and Percy Harvin during
Super Bowl week was over by the time the offensive lineman turned around from his locker.
Giacomini gives the trade last week that netted Harvin as the newest Jet a passing grade, saying “he’s
gonna help us win some games.” He also has no concerns about Harvin’s character.
“He’s been a great teammate when he was back in Seattle. He is a great teammate now,” Giancomini told
Metro. “I think the media is blowing this out of proportion. Those things happen in a locker room. I’ve
been in fights before. It’s a competitive locker room there — like it is here. Those things happen there,
everywhere really. It just doesn’t get blow up like this.”
Since being traded to the Jets, leaks from the Seahawks locker room have painted Harvin as a malcontent
and troublemaker. Giacomini can only shake his head.
“Zero, zero concern. Guys moved on from it there,” Giacomini said. “That’s what happens, you move on.
It really didn’t seem to bother us that much? Way too much is being made out of this.”
He tells Metro he keeps in contact with his former teammates in Seattle and that no one has sounded any
caution or concern over Harvin fitting in with what is now a relatively serious Jets locker room.
Friday’s trade is the second time Harvin has been traded in his six-year NFL career. The Jets traded to help
upgrade a total offense which is No. 19 in the NFL. But they also got someone who now is clouded in
controversy.
Giacomini shook his head when asked about if Harvin is a character concern in this locker room.
The altercation during Super Bowl week occurred at the Giants training facility on the day the Seahawks
took their team photo. Giacomini was in the locker room at the time and had his back turned to what
would become a fight between Tate and Harvin.
By the time he had turned around, he says everything had cleared up.
“They settled it. They got together and they settled it,” Giacomini said. “We went off and took the team
photo then. Everyone was smiling. Why? Because it wasn’t a big deal.
“We got a playmaker and a great teammate in this trade. I’ve got no worries at all. I’m glad he’s got the
locker next to me. He’s going to fit right in here.”
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SUNDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS
http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Monday-s-Sports-Transactions-5835664.php
BASEBALL
American League
DETROIT TIGERS — Named Dave Littlefield major league scout.
Can-Am League
TROIS-RIVIERES AIGLES — Exercised the 2015 contract option on LHP Ryan Bollinger.
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Daily Clips Cont.
Frontier League
GATEWAY GRIZZLIES — Signed RHP Troy Barton.
BASKETBALL
National Basketball Association
DETROIT PISTONS — Waived C Hasheem Thabeet, F Brian Cook, G Josh Bostic and G Lorenzo Brown.
MIAMI HEAT — Signed G Larry Drew II.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES — Waived C Kyrylo Fesenko.
FOOTBALL
National Football League
ATLANTA FALCONS — Placed C Peter Konz on injured reserve. Signed OT Jonathan Scott.
CLEVELAND BROWNS — Signed FB Kiero Small from the practice squad. Waived FB Ray Agnew.
DENVER BRONCOS — Signed RB Kapri Bibbs. Waived LB Shaquil Barrett.
DETROIT LIONS — Signed TE Kellen Davis. Released S Jerome Couplin. Signed WR Ifeanyi Momah to the
practice squad.
ST. LOUIS RAMS — Released WR Austin Pettis. Released WR Emory Blake from the practice squad.
TENNESSEE TITANS — Waived TE Brett Brackett.
HOCKEY
National Hockey League
NHL — Suspended Los Angeles D Slava Voynov indefinitely from all club activities pending a formal
investigation by the league of an arrest with charges of domestic violence.
ANAHEIM DUCKS — Recalled G John Gibson from Norfolk (AHL). Reassigned G Jason LaBarbera to Norfolk.
CALGARY FLAMES — Signed D T.J. Brodie to a five-year contract extension.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS — Placed G Curtis McElhinney on injured reserve. Recalled G Anton Forsberg
from Springfield (AHL).
DETROIT RED WINGS — Assigned G Petr Mrazek to Grand Rapids (AHL).
MONTREAL CANADIENS — Recalled F Michael Bournival from Hamilton (AHL).
WASHINGTON CAPITALS — Reassigned RW Tom Wilson to Hershey (AHL).
American Hockey League
AHL — Suspended Binghamton LW David Dziurzynski three games for an illegal check to the head of an
opponent in an Oct. 18 game at Syracuse.
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS — Reassigned G Jared Coreau to Toledo (ECHL).
SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE — Released F Byron Froese from a professional tryout contract, who will join
Cincinnati (ECHL).
SPRINGFIELD FALCONS — Recalled G Scott Munroe from Kalamazoo (ECHL).
Southern Professional Hockey League
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Daily Clips Cont.
PEORIA RIVERMEN — Released Fs Shawn Bates, Dan Cecka, Joey Holka, Corrado Mancini and Matt Viola;
and Gs Paul Dorsey and Matt Mahalak.
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
BUFFALO BANDITS — Agreed to terms with M Brandon Goodwin, F Cody McMahon and G Rance Vigneux
on one-year contracts.
COLLEGE
KANSAS STATE — Announced men's basketball F Jack Karapetyan will transfer.
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