EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings star receiver Percy Harvin returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since shoulder surgery in April.
Curiously, he was missing during Wednesday's open practice during organized team activities, causing many to wonder if he was still having trouble with his shoulder. Coach Leslie Frazier said he didn't think the shoulder was the reason for Wednesday's absence.
Turns out Harvin might have a different opinion.
On Thursday, Harvin wrote on his Twitter page, "There's no such thing as minor surgery trust me.... From prac tues hope I didn't over due it"
Harvin, the team's leading receiver in 2011 with 87 catches for 967 yards and six touchdowns, had surgery April 24 to clear out bone spurs in his shoulder. At the time of his surgery, he was expected to be back for the team's voluntary OTAs, which started last week. Harvin was in attendance last week but was relegated to working with head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman and the also-rehabbing Adrian Peterson on the side. He did catch passes from the quarterbacks on the side during special team's drills.
He then participated in Tuesday's practice, which was closed to the media, but wasn't in sight during Wednesday's open OTAs.
"Nothing that I'm aware of regarding his shoulder," Frazier said Wednesday. "It's a voluntary camp, so hopefully we'll have him back tomorrow."
Frazier said Harvin has done well in trying to rehab his shoulder.
"He did a good job yesterday with his shoulder, and we really thought things were going well for him," Frazier said. "He wasn't here today, but he's done a good job in the time he's been here. This is his first miss."
There was no word whether Harvin was at Thursday's closed practice. He added some intrigue with his tweets, but later followed with, "No worries I'm good just steady grind"
Harvin said the injury dates back to last season and that he felt the pain pop up again this offseason when he was working out. He came back to Minnesota, had an MRI on the shoulder and followed through with surgery.
"I knew it was hurt last year," Harvin said last week. "A couple of those games late in the season when I was going out for a play or two it was because of the shoulder. I kind of wanted to keep it a secret from you guys but I knew it was hurting so I got it addressed in the offseason. Trying to bench press I felt it a little bit so just cleaned it out and it's all good now."
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