Former NFL wide receiver Percy Harvin, in a recently resurfaced video, revealed a startling truth about his playing career in an interview with Bleacher Report.
Reflecting on his time in the league from 2009 to 2016, Harvin admitted he used marijuana before every one of his 75 NFL games to manage his anxiety disorder and migraines.
He also revealed that he had been on upwards of seven medications to treat his mental health. The outlet reposted the clip (originally aired in 2019) on their TikTok account, sparking significant conversation about medications and marijuana use among athletes.
“You’re looking at a guy that – I was at the Mayo Clinic, and I had at least seven prescriptions that I used to take, from Zoloft, all the other ones I was taking,” Harvin, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014, explained.
“The only thing that really seemed to work is when I would smoke marijuana.”
@bleacherreport Percy Harvin says he was taking up to ‘7 medications’ at a time for anxiety #nfl #nflfootball #football ♬ original sound – bleacherreport
How Percy Harvin Coped with Anxiety
Percy Harvin, a Pro Bowler and Offensive Rookie of the Year with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009, explained that the substance helped calm his nerves, allowing him to perform despite the intense pressure of professional football.
Harvin, due to his explosiveness and talent in his early years in the league, certainly had some lofty expectations placed upon his shoulders.
When asked how often he smoked, the response was rather shocking.
“There’s not a game – there’s not A GAME – I played in, that I wasn’t high,” he said.
Harvin’s candid disclosure shed light on the personal struggles he faced, including an anxiety disorder that he managed privately during his career.
NFL’s Policies at the Time
During Percy Harvin’s career, the NFL’s marijuana policy, governed by the Substances of Abuse (SOA) Policy under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), was notably strict.
A positive test could result in severe consequences: a first violation placed a player in the league’s intervention program, requiring evaluation and treatment; a second violation led to a fine of two game checks; a third violation resulted in a four-game suspension; and subsequent violations could lead to longer suspensions, up to a lifetime ban.
Martavis Bryant, for example, missed the entire 2016 season.
Since 2020, the NFL’s marijuana policy has eliminated suspensions for positive tests, raised the THC threshold to 350 ng/ml as of 2024, limited testing to the start of training camp, and imposed fines starting at $15,000 for violations.
The focus shifted to treatment over punishment.
