In a report on the most hated persons, places and things in the NFL, Sports Illustrated deemed former Vikings receiver Percy Harvin to be the most hated player in the locker room: "In his first season in Seattle, Harvin got into altercations with teammates Doug Baldwin and Golden Tate. The kicker was Harvin's refusal to play late in Seattle's 2014 Week 6 loss to the Cowboys — allegedly because he was unhappy with how he was used."
In Buffalo, they're not believing some of the things that were said about Harvin in his previous NFL stops, which included four seasons in Minnesota from 2009-2012 before he was traded to Seattle for the draft choice that was used to take Cordarrelle Patterson.
On syracuse.com, Matthew Fairburn writes: "Since joining Buffalo, Harvin has hit all the right notes. He's been friendly to media, made a strong impression on coaches and hasn't caused trouble in the locker room. His career in Buffalo is still in its infancy, though. A lot of Harvin's frustrations in the past had to do with how he was used.Maybe that's why the Bills believe things will be different in Buffalo."
Keep in mind that Harvin played for new Buffalo coach Rex Ryan with the New York Jets last season. So it's not like the decision to sign Harvin was made without some first-hand previous experience.
Here's what Bills receiver coach Sanjay Lal had to say: "I don't know if (his reputation) digs at him. I mean, no one wants to hear negative things about themselves, so I'm sure he's not happy about it. But he knows what's real, and then the people in the know, they also know. The people I trust, they said good things. The people I don't know, they painted this picture. Maybe that's true for them, but it's not been my experience."
Fairburn writes that "Harvin has clicked with Lal on and off the field."
SI's view: "Harvin still insists that he's more than a gadget player. The proof on the field says otherwise."
This one, we suspect, is better to watch from a distance.
