The Minnesota Vikings and coach Leslie Frazier continually have said Percy Harvin's placement on season-ending injured reserve was purely due to the ankle injury that hadn't healed as expected. As is often the case with Harvin, the story isn't quite so simple.
Four NFL sources told ESPN Twin Cities' Tom Pelissero there was a "heated exchange" between Frazier and Harvin in front of Vikings players and staff members in the training room before the decision was made.
While some "inside and outside" the Vikings' building believed the confrontation was the reason for the IR designation, one source said the team and Harvin's agent already had started talking about placing Harvin on IR before the incident. But that doesn't mean other factors didn't eventually come into play.
There have been several issues with Harvin in Minnesota since he was drafted No. 22 overall in 2009. He missed numerous practices the first two years due to migraines. Harvin abruptly demanded a trade during the Vikings' June minicamp before backing off the request. He was kicked out of practice by former coach Brad Childress in 2010 after being accused of not giving full effort. The two were separated, and the confrontation continued into the weight room, where a witness said Harvin threw a weight.
More recently, Harvin was seen screaming at Frazier during a Week 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Harvin is rehabilitating near his Florida home, but he said on Nov. 21: "I'm ready for this next stretch. I should be good." He never went through a full practice afterward and was placed on IR two weeks later. Frazier said the decision "helps us all" despite the fact the Vikings were losing one of their top two offensive players during a playoff push.
The 2012 handling of the wide receiver is over, however it actually went down, but 2013 is a contract year, and Harvin said he won't report to camp without an extension. Does he still even want one from Minnesota? Would the Vikings consider a trade? Harvin was in the MVP discussion before the injury.
Stay tuned.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.
