Percy Harvin ‘should be fine’ to play in the Super Bowl

Jan 11, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin (11) catches a pass against New Orleans Saints cornerback Corey White (24) during the first half of the 2013 NFC divisional playoff football game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Percy Harvin, who is still recovering from a concussion received on Jan. 11, “should be fine” to play in the Super Bowl, head coach Pete Carroll said on Monday morning.

“We’re counting on him to be ready,” Carroll said in an interview with 710 ESPN Seattle.

The Seahawks will be playing in the Super Bowl for the second time in franchise history on Feb. 2 when they “visit” the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium.

Harvin’s return would help the Seahawks pass game against the Broncos, which had one of the worst pass defenses during the regular season. Though Denver had the No. 1 offense in the league, their pass defense allowed more than 254 yards per game, 27th in the league.

Harvin could also serve as a key distraction on the offense to open up a bigger running game for Marshawn Lynch. Lynch has rushed for consecutive 100+ yard games this postseason.

Against the New Orleans Saints on Jan. 11, Lynch set a franchise postseason record with 140 rushing yards. On Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, he became the first running back to rush for more than 100 yards against the Niners defense this year.

Harvin has only played in two games this season as he has been dealing with multiple injuries.

During the regular season, he had one catch for 17 yards in one game. The NFC Divisional playoff game against the Saints on Jan. 11 was only Harvin’s second appearance of the year.

He was injured on the Seahawks third offensive play of the game when he was hit in a helmet-to-helmet collision by Saints safety Rafael Bush.

Harvin returned to catch three passes for 21 yards before being knocked out of the game on another hard hit to the head shortly before the first half of that game ended.

Without Harvin in the NFC Championship game, Russell Wilson threw for 215 yards, 106 of which went to Doug Baldwin.

Super Bowl XLVIII will feature the NFL’s No. 1 offense against the No. 1 defense for the first time in 23 years. It is the first time two No. 1 playoff seeds are facing off since 2009 when the Saints beat Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts.

According to CBSSports.com, no player on the Seahawks roster has Super Bowl experience.