With Week 11 of the NFL season in the books, here are a few former Gators who made the most tangible impact for their respective teams.
Percy Harvin, wide receiver: After waiting 10 games to make his debut with the Seattle Seahawks, Percy Harvin (hip) finally saw the field Sunday.
And in a limited role, he was explosive.
Although he caught only one pass for 17 yards on his sole target of the afternoon, Harvin returned a kick 58 yards during the Seahawks’ 41-20 win against the Minnesota Vikings — Harvin’s former team.
His sole catch was an acrobatic grab over Vikings cornerback Chris Cook. The former Gators receiver reeled in the ball with his right hand, juggled it and eventually secured it with his left arm.
Harvin revealed after the game that in addition to having hip surgery during the offseason, he also underwent an appendectomy late last year. During the procedure, doctors discovered that Harvin had a benign tumor on his appendix.
“I’ve been through a lot besides the hip surgery,” Harvin told ESPN. “So it was an enjoyable feeling to get back out there. I wanted to see where I was at. Today was the test everyone wanted to see. I don’t see any more setbacks. I’m looking to take off from here.”
Joe Haden, cornerback: The Cleveland Browns suffered their sixth loss of the season in a 41-20 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, but Joe Haden had a game to remember.
During the loss, Haden had two interceptions in the first quarter. The first, which he returned for 15 yards to the Cincinnati 14-yard line, came on a first and 10 and resulted in a Browns field goal on the ensuing drive.
Fewer than two minutes later, Haden scored the first touchdown of the game when he picked off a pass from Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and returned it 29 yards into the end zone to put the Browns ahead 13-0. Dalton’s pass was intended for A.J. Green, but Haden made the read and ran down the left sideline untouched into the end zone.
Notes: During the Chicago Bears’ 23-20 overtime victory against the Baltimore Ravens, linebacker Jon Bostic picked off a pass from Ravens signal caller Joe Flacco at the 50-yard line. The Bears tacked on a field goal on their next drive to reduce their deficit to 17-13 at halftime.
During his team’s 24-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed suffered a concussion. He is questionable for Monday’s matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Reed had one catch for 12 yards in the game.
Follow Landon Watnick on Twitter @LandonWatnick.
Seattle Seahawks' Percy Harvin (11) returns the ball against the Minnesota Vikings on a kickoff in the first half of his team's 41-20 win Sunday in Seattle.
