From athlete to criminal... to athlete – The complicated story of Michael Vick

Perhaps the most electric player to ever grace the gridiron, Michael Vick is forever cemented in the hearts and minds of NFL fans of a certain generation. His legacy is, however, a complicated one, with his career reaching soaring heights and sickening lows.

Born in Newport News, Virginia in 1980, Vick’s childhood was not an easy one. Both parents were still teenagers when he was born and had to work multiple jobs just to get by. The neighborhood he grew up in was rough, with gang-related shootings not uncommon.

Vick started his footballing career at Homer L. Ferguson High School which was closed during his sophomore year. He moved with his coach Tommy Reamon to Warwick High School where he started to show his talents.

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Vick was always the best athlete on his teams and would account for nearly 6,000 yards of offense during his high school career, including one game where he would score nine touchdowns himself, three through the air, and six on the ground.

Despite his obvious talent, Vick wasn’t seen as an elite recruit by most of college football, but Frank Beamer, the Virginia Tech head coach, was able to convince him to stay close to home and commit to becoming a Hokie.

Vick red-shirted his freshman year but was made the starting quarterback in his second year as a Hokie and his ability was finally on display at the collegiate level. Over two years at Virginia Tech, Vick showcased his talents and led the Hokies to a sixth-place ranking in 2000.

Vick blew up the NFL combine in 2001, causing the Atlanta Falcons to trade up to number one overall to go and get Michael Vick. His 4.33 40-yard dash remains a record for a quarterback.

Vick signed a six-year, $62,000,000 contract as a rookie. Despite not getting many starts in his rookie season, Vick showcased his talent early, rushing for over nine yards a carry, an unheard-of number for a QB.

Over the next two season Vick would lead an improving Atlanta side deep into the playoffs, first, they appeared in the NFC Divisional round in 2002 and in 2003 they made it one step further to the NFC Championship game, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles on both occasions.

In December 2004, Vick signed a nine-year, $130,000,000 contract extension with the Atlanta Falcons, per Sportrac, showing how much faith they had in him as a player.

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By 2007 Vick was on top of the NFL world, one of the best QBs in the league, and with endorsements from many major brands. This came crashing down in April as police raided a property Vick owned and discovered an illegal dog-fighting and gambling ring which Vick had been funding.

Within a few months of the raid, Vick had pleaded guilty to dogfighting conspiracy charges and was immediately indefinitely suspended from the NFL. The Falcons were able to void Vick’s contract and made him repay $19,970,000 of his signing bonus from his 2004 contract extension.

Almost as soon as Vick had pleaded guilty to his crimes, Nike and Vick’s other major brand partners ripped up their contracts with the now-convicted criminal.

Whilst there was some support for Vick from other sportspeople such as Clinton Portis, who said, “it's his property, it's his dog. If that's what he wants to do, do it”, the overall reaction was anger. The Humane Society of the United States and animal rights activists PETA stated their joint disgust at Vick’s actions.

Despite his guilty plea, Vick was sentenced to nearly two years in jail for his crimes of which he served 21 with two months removed for good behavior, per ESPN.

After his release, Vick made it clear he was looking to continue his football career whilst repeating his remorse. After speaking with starting QB, Donovan McNabb, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to take a chance on Vick and give him a second chance.

Vick was a backup and bit-time player during his first year and a bit in Philly, but by 2010 he was the full-time starter and led an explosive Eagles offense that saw them fall just short of the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. Vick finished second in the MVP voting.

After the Eagles saw just how good Vick could be, they decided to sign him to a six-year, $100,000,000 deal with $40,000,000 guaranteed, per Sportrac. The second nine-figure deal Vick signed during his career.

Vick remained an Eagle for another two years but his play remained too inconsistent to have any sustained success. He left for the New York Jets in 2014 where he spent a year before spending another season as a backup in Pittsburgh. He eventually retired in 2016.

There was a great deal of anger that Vick could return to the NFL after his crimes, with MLB star and vocal animal rights supporter Mark Buehrle stating, “he had a great year and a great comeback, but there were times where we watched the game, and I know it's bad to say, but there were times where we hope he gets hurt”

Vick remains a controversial figure to this day, to some he is the most exciting quarterback they’ve ever watched and a huge part of what has shaped the modern NFL, to others he is a cruel animal abuser who used dogs for his own entertainment and disposed of them like they were garbage. Since his crimes he has vocally supported animal rights causes and seems genuinely remorseful for his past actions, too little too late for some, a chance at redemption for others.

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