Twitter Reacts to Percy Harvin Being Traded to New York Jets

A bombshell in the form of a Percy Harvin trade has hit the NFL, as the star wide receiver was dealt from the Seattle Seahawks to the New York Jets on Friday. 

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports dropped the shocking news that needed a second tweet just to confirm:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Seahawks will only be getting a mid-round pick in the deal, and he also added it didn't come together overnight:

To say the news came as a surprise would be putting it mildly. The sixth-year pro didn't flourish quite as expected through five regular-season games with 225 total yards and one touchdown. He was especially ineffective against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6, losing one yard on six touches. 

But the coaches weren't wavering from him, and they even expressed a need to get him the ball more in deep passing situations as recently as Thursday, per The Seattle Times Jayson Jenks. 

The news had NFL media, such as Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, initially unsure what to make of Glazer's report:

ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted his take:

Seahawks fans who welcomed the return of the NFL's sixth-highest-paid receiver by average annual salary, according to Spotrac, might not be too happy off the bat, but taking his massive income off the books could end up being a blessing with a Russell Wilson deal on the horizon, as SB Nation's Brian Floyd noted:

"

So that's where the Russell Wilson money will come from

— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) October 17, 2014"

Looking at the business side of things doesn't make saying goodbye to teammates any easier. Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril wished Harvin a fond farewell:

Marshawn Lynch was even more blunt, tweeting:

Photo courtesy of Bleacher Report

Even non-Seahawks were shocked by the move. The Detroit Lions' Eric Ebron posted his reaction on Twitter:

Harvin's championship pedigree will be one of many things missed in Seattle, as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report noted:

As CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora pondered, it didn't seem as if the deal was forced by Harvin but rather by the team after thinking he didn't fit the offense as well as expected:

Of course, there are abundant reasons for Seahawks fans not to worry after winning last year's Super Bowl without Harvin for most of the season and playoffs. Put that in contrast of the 1-6 Jets team that he now joins and SB Nation's Spencer Hall was feeling apologetic for the star wideout:

The Big Lead's Jason McIntyre summed up what Jets fans are initially thinking after seeing the deal:

The big knock on New York's offense over recent years has been the lack of explosive weapons, but with Harvin joining Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley and their duo of impact running backs, Bleacher Report's Ian Kenyon doesn't see that as a valid excuse anymore:

But with the Seahawks' sterling reputation and the fact he's the most explosive skill-position player on their offense, The Cauldron's Andy Glockner wondered if something was wrong with Harvin:

Brock Huard of ESPN echoed that sentiment:

Reports like this one from Rapoport suggest behind-the-scenes issues, as Around the NFL noted:

ESPN Stats & Info uncovered some numbers that back up the belief that Harvin isn't currently the player he was in Minnesota:

"

Percy Harvin isn't the weapon he was when he entered the NFL in 2009, averaging just 6 yds per rec this season pic.twitter.com/fg9v1NwD4g

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 17, 2014"

With the Jets now having lost six straight games and both Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik receiving plenty of blame, Lawyer Milloy saw Friday's deal as a desperate move:

The 26-year-old won a championship ring in his one-plus season with Seattle, and he came back from injury in the 2013 playoffs just in time to make an impact in the Super Bowl. But it's hard to say he won't be remembered largely by the ineffectiveness he showed as the team's marquee receiver. 

Anyone who has seen Harvin in space, however, knows just how much of an impact he can bring to an offense when utilized correctly. And as he heads to a 1-6 Jets team that ranks dead last in the NFL with 185 passing yards per game, there's no doubt many in the Big Apple will be counting on his early-career prowess to return.