Vikings WR Percy Harvin Named 2009 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: On Wednesday afternoon, the league announced that Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver/kick returner, Percy Harvin has been named the 2009 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. According to various reports, Harvin received 41 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters. Coming in a distant second place with 6 votes was the Baltimore Ravens’ tackle Michael Oher, who became a hose-hold name with the release of the movie “The Blind Side”.
The 22 overall pick out of Florida recorded 60 grabs this season for a total of 790 yards and 6 touchdowns. Harvin also returned 42 kickoffs for 1,156 yards and two touchdowns for an average of 27.5 yards per return. His biggest kickoff return this season came on a 101-yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers. He also rushed 15 times for 135 yards.
“I call him Little Phenom,” said Vikings running back Adrian Peterson . “He’s got the heart of a lion when he’s out there playing.”
Of course Harvin owes a bit of this achievement to the man making it possible for the ball to get to him, 40-year-old future Hall of Famer, Brett Favre. “I think Percy’s on his way to a league of his own,” said Favre. “He’s quick like Wes Welker. He’s got a long ways to go to be in the same category with Wes, but at the rate he’s going he’s a dominant force in a lot of ways.”
If that weren’t anough, the member of the NFC North champion Vikings was also selected to the Pro Bowl… talk about having some year! “Just how quickly I was able to adjust and learn the system,” the 21-year-old Harvin said of the challenges in his first year. “Reading the coverages and things like that. I think I’ve been doing it fairly well at a quick time. So I’m impressed with that.”
“He’s a smart player,” offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. “Now he hasn’t had all the reps in his background of just being a wide receiver as another guy may have had coming out of college, but he’s a fast learner. He picks things up and he understands football.”
