Michael Vick's Football Career

Michael Vick
If it were not for a young kid from the town of Newport News, Virginia, football as it is played today would not be the same. This kid would grow up to be one of the most controversial sports figures of all time. Michael Vick’s football career is one of the most intriguing of current sports figures because of how he revolutionized the game, how his play style was the first of its kind, and how his off the field decisions ruined his career. Vick’s strong arm paired with his agility and speed, made him a unique threat against defenses that forged a new style of play. Even though Vick had skills that were unrivaled by any other player at his position at the time, his highly promising career would be cut short by state dogfighting

charges. In 2007 Vick’s underground dogfighting operation we be reported to the authorities and Vick would ultimately serve a 23-month sentence in a minimum security prison. This time off would end up destroying what was once a promising career.
At a young age Vick showed great athletic, specifically football, ability. Vick would start at quarterback all four years of his high school career and by the time he was a senior he would be one of the highest recruited players in the country. Vick was aided in the recruiting process by his coach Tommy Reamon. Reamon would help Vick get the SAT scores needed to play Division One athletics. Reamon would be a huge advocate for Vick to attend Virginia Tech. In end Mike would end up choosing to attend Virginia Tech over Syracuse. This would be the start of a historic college career for Vick.
Vick would end up redshirting sitting out a year at Virginia Tech so that he could develop as a player. The following year Vick would start as a redshirt freshman. In his first game against James Madison University Vick would rush for 3 touchdowns in the first quarter alone (Sports Reference). Vick’s performance in this game caught the attention of football fans across the country. Vick would end up leading the Hokies to an undefeated regular season (11 wins) and to the school's first ever National Championship Game (Sports Reference). Virginia Tech would end up losing the game but Vick would make it clear to everyone across the nation that his skill and play style was unparallelled.
Prior to Vick playing in college and the NFL (National Football League), no quarterback had been able to run the ball as well and as often as Vick.

In majority of offenses run by colleges and pro-teams quarterbacks would be responsible for throwing the ball and the duty of running the ball would be the obligation of the running and full backs. Vick was innovative, in that he used his large frame paired with his speed to run the ball effectively. Never before had a quarterback been able to run the ball as well as Vick did. People took notice of Vick’s dynamic play style. At the end of his first year as a starter at Virginia Tech Vick placed third in Heisman voting (an award granted to the overall best college football player). Vick showed just how fast he was at the 2001 NFL Combine. Vick would the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, a NFL record for quarterbacks (Sports Reference). After completing two years as a starter at Virginia Tech Vick would be drafted as the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. This showed that expectations were extremely high for

Vick.
Because it was the first style of its time, Vick’s quarterbacking developed a whole new type of offense for players of all ages. Vick’s speed gave teams the ability to base an offense around his running ability. Vick revolutionized the game when he used his running ability as his primary mode of moving the ball up the field. Defenses were unaccustomed to an offense of this style, giving Vick and his teammates an edge over their competitors. When needed, Vick could act as a stereotypical quarterback and throw the ball down the field making him extremely versatile. Players and coaches alike saw what Coach Frank Beamer had done with Vick at Virginia Tech and tried to replicate this style of play. Vick acted as a catalyst for players like the 2017 heisman winner, Lamar Jackson. This combination of running and passing ability forced defenses to respect his throwing ability which opened up the field for him to run the ball. Vick’s play style was a major precedent to many current pro and college offenses.
After being selected by the Falcons as first overall pick in the NFL draft, Vick signed a six-year, $62 million contract. This showcased how high expectations were for Vick as this was an extremely large deal for a rookie. Early in his career Vick would live up to expectations, setting the NFL single game rushing record for a quarterback in only his second year versus the Minnesota Vikings (173 yards). In his first six seasons, Vick would be selected to the NFC Pro Bowl team four years and, in 2006, would be the first quarterback to rush for 1,000+ yards in a season. Entering the 2007 season expectations could not be higher for Vick, but before the season could start Vick’s life would take a turn for the worse.
Despite his major successes, Vick’s poor decision making would end up catching up with him. Vick, along with three other colleagues: Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips, and Tony Taylor, would be federally charged with Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities and Sponsoring a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture. Vick and his three colleagues would ultimately plea guilty to these charges. After pleading guilty to these charges NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would state “Your admitted conduct is not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible” (Goodell). In the same statement Goodell would suspend Vick from the NFL. Vick be sentenced to 23 months, which he would only serve 19 months, in a months in minimum security federal prison. In July of 2009 Goodell would reinstate Vick, but by this time Vick had spent a majority of what was considered the prime of his career in prison.
After serving his time in prison Vick’s performance in the NFL would never compare to his performance prior to his jail time. He would spend a majority of what is considered the prime part of NFL player’s career in jail allowing his skills to deteriorate, which would never return to how they were prior to his suspension. Not only did Vick’s actions hurt his football skills but they would also force him to reimburse the Falcons $20 million dollars of his contract. His former team the Falcons would cite “Vick knew he was engaging in illegal activity when he signed his new contract in 2004, and that he had used the bonus money to pay for the operation” (“NFL”). It is very clear that Vick’s participation in dog fighting derailed his promising football career. Despite playing and starting for the Philadelphia Eagles for five years, Vick was noticeably slower taking away his major advantage against defenses. At the conclusion his 2013 season, the Eagles would not re-sign Vick. Vick would play one year with the New York Jets and one year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively. He would not play a single game for either team. Ultimately Vick’s participation in underground dog fighting was a death sentence to a very promising career. Not only did he ruin his public image Vick also ruined himself financially, filing for bankruptcy in July of 2008.
Michael Vick’s career was one that was ruined by immoral actions, but was a career that was revolutionary for its time and forged many current offenses run by teams of all ages today.

As Vick stated himself in a 2010 New York Times “I went to prison because what I was doing was wrong. We all know what right is, and what's wrong is wrong. I knew what I was doing. I didn't say no; I did not stop. I didn't get away from it.'' (Vick, 1). At what point does the public say that Vick has repaid his debt to society and credit him with the influence he has had on football as a

whole?