Michael Vick

Michael Vick

Atlanta Falcons
Career information
College:	Virginia Tech
NFL draft:	2001 / round: 1 / pick: 1
Career history
Atlanta Falcons (2001-present)
Career highlights and awards
College awards NFL awards 3x Pro Bowl selection (2002, 2004, 2005)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980 in Newport News, Virginia) is an American football quarterback for the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons franchise.

Vick rose from a youth living in a public housing project to become a stand-out high school football player, winning a scholarship to attend Virginia Tech. After two years, he cut his collegiate career short, and was the No. 1 pick during the first round of the 2001 NFL draft, joining the Atlanta Falcons. Vick became one of the highest-paid NFL players, as well as earning lucrative commercial product endorsements.

In Virginia and Georgia, he has been involved in charitable activities, especially those which benefit economically-disadvantaged youth such as after-school programs, football camps, and the Boys and Girls Clubs. In 2006, he joined his mother and younger brother, former Miami Dolphins player Marcus Vick, in forming the Vick Foundation.

On July 17, 2007, Vick and three other men were indicted by a federal grand jury for felony and misdemeanor charges involving a 6-year long interstate dog fighting venture called "Bad Newz Kennels" and tens of thousands of dollars in gambling activities. The operation was based at a 15-acre estate in a rural area of southeastern Virginia which authorities contend was purchased and developed specifically for the criminal enterprise. Even within a controversial and brutal blood sport, the federal allegations detailed exceptionally extreme violence involving execution of losing and under-performing dogs by electrocution, hanging, drowning and shooting, including Vick's direct involvement, drawing extensive negative publicity and expressions of public outrage.

On July 23, after days of public statements, protests, and demands for suspension of Vick from NFL play pending the resolution of the pending criminal charges, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Vick and ordered him not to report to the Falcons training camp.

Early life

Michael Vick was born to Brenda Vick (16) and Michael Boddie (17) on June 26, 1980, in Newport News, Virginia. Michael Boddie spent 2 1/2 years in the U.S Army, then went through a succession of jobs, eventually finding steady work in the Newport News shipyards as a sandblaster and spray-painter, with his days starting early and ending after dark. Brenda Vick worked jobs such at a local Kmart and driving a school bus part-time, and her parents helped with the young family. Michael and Brenda married when their son Michael was about five years old, by which time they had four children, Michael's older sister Christina, and younger siblings Marcus and Courtney. The children elected to continue to use their Vick surname after their parents wed.

The Vick children grew up living in the "Ridley Circle Homes", a public housing project in a financially depressed and crime-ridden neighborhood located in the East End section of the port city on the harbor of Hampton Roads, not far from the downtown area and its massive shipyard and the coal piers. The East End of Newport News is often known in hip hop ("urban") culture by the slang names "Bad News" or "Bad Newz".

In 2007, after allegations of operating an interstate dog fighting conspiracy and an indictment was issued which described alleged acts of extreme brutality against the animals by Vick himself, his youth drew renewed public and media interest. A newspaper article published in July, written by Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter David Ress, painted for readers a vivid image of the neighborhood which seemed to be not much changed by observations of local people almost ten years after Michael Vick left:

"950-plus units of public-housing projects crammed into an area of about a dozen blocks. Row after row of aging two-story apartment buildings, pressed close to the Interstate 664 bridge and looming black piles of coal. Close enough to the water for a whiff from the seafood packing plants but not for a fresh breeze. Just enough space for a walkway and clotheslines between the buildings, but not for a basketball court...not a dog in sight."

Ress interviewed one resident who said that there is drug dealing, drive-by shooting and killing in the neighborhood, adding, "Plenty of good people, too." The man, kicking his foot in the dirt, commented "All this is nothing but sand down here, can't even grow grass...You're stuck in a little hole down here." For some, that resident thinks, sports was a way out...a dream for many. And even if it isn't, sports is a way for children in the Newport News projects to stay out of trouble...his kids, ages 9 to 15, like to play at the basketball court four blocks away from their home, adding "gunfire sometimes sends them scampering back home."

Vick told the Newport News Daily Press in 2001, that when he was 10 or 11 "I would go fishing even if the fish weren't biting, just to get out of there" and away from the violence and stress of daily life in the projects. His home at Ridley Circle was within walking distance of the Newport News Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism's public King-Lincoln Park, which offers salt water fishing near the point where the James River becomes part of Hampton Roads. The park was named to jointly honor Dr. Martin Luther King and U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.

Even through the area is, by all accounts, troubled, several people interviewed were disbelieving that dog fighting was a local activity there. Kevin Brown, a minister who has organized a storefront after-school program called "Operation Breaking Through" told reporter Ress that in the low-income housing projects where Vick grew up, there isn't much money for buying and betting on dogs. Reverend Brown stated: "Folks in this community are just in survival mode...They don't have money for gambling." Another man interviewed by the newspaper, a 25-year-old who was hanging around with a group of a dozen friends by the Harbor Homes public housing project on Jefferson Avenue, seemed to agree. "There's no dog fighting around here," he told Ress.

Early amateur athletics

During the early years of his family, Michael Boddie's employment required a lot of travel, but he taught football skills to his two sons at an early age. Michael Vick was only three years old when his father, nicknamed "Bullet" for his blinding speed during his own playing days on the gridiron, began teaching him the fundamentals. He also taught younger brother Marcus.

As he grew up, Michael Vick, who went by "Ookie" back then , also learned a lot about football from a second cousin 4 years older, Aaron Brooks. Vick and Brooks both spent a lot of time as youths at the local Boys and Girls Club. As a 7-year-old throwing three touchdown passes in a Boys Club league, his apparent football talents led coaches and his parents to keep a special watch over Vick.

Vick told Sporting News magazine in an interview published April 9, 2001: "Sports kept me off the streets...It kept me from getting into what was going on, the bad stuff. Lots of guys I knew have had bad problems."

High school career

Vick first came to prominence while at Ferguson High School in Newport News. As a freshman, he impressed many with his athletic ability, throwing for over 400 yards in a game that year. After Ferguson High School was closed as part of a school building modernization program of Newport News Public Schools, in 1996, as a junior, Vick and coach Tommy Reamon both moved to Warwick High School, also in Newport News,

Tommy Reamon was a former college and pro-football player who proved to be mentor several notable sports players from Newport News. These included Michael Vick, his older cousin Aaron Brooks, and later his younger brother Marcus. Born in 1952, he had been a running back at the University of Missouri in the early 1970s. Drafted in 1974 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Reamon went on to stardom in the World Football League, and was named the league MVP in 1975. A year later, he joined the Kansas City Chiefs. He gained a total of 450 yards from scrimmage and scored five touchdowns in 1976, before leaving pro-ball, and becoming a high school coach.

At Warwick High School, under Coach Reamon's tutelage, Vick was a three-year starter for the Raiders, passing for 4,846 yards with 43 touchdowns during his career. He once ran for six touchdowns and threw for three touchdowns in a single game. He also added 1,048 yards and 18 scores on the ground and accounted for ten passing and ten rushing touchdowns as a senior as he passed for 1,668 yards.

Coach Reamon, who had helped guide Aaron Brooks from Newport News to the University of Virginia earlier, helped Michael with his SAT tests, and helped him and his family choose between Syracuse University and Virginia Tech. Reamon favored Virginia Tech, where he felt better guidance was available under Coach Frank Beamer, who promided to redshirt him and provide the freshman needed time to develop. He sold Michael on the school's proximity to family and friends, and apparently following his advice, Vick chose to attend Virginia Tech and play football as a Hokie.

As he left the Newport News public housing projects in 1998, "on the wings of a college football scholarship," Michael Vick was seen in the Newport News (and close-by Hampton) community of the lower Virginia Peninsula as a "success story." In a story published in September 2000, while his son Michael was at Virginia Tech, Michael Boddie told the university's Collegiate Times: "Ever since he learned to throw a football, he's always liked throwing a ball...It's just in his blood." He added that his son had never gotten into trouble or ... involved with drugs, adding: "I like the way he has developed, not only as a player but as a person."

College career

File:Vick On The Cover Of ESPN The Magazine.jpg

Vick on the cover of ESPN The Magazine

After high school, Michael Vick attended Virginia Tech. In his first collegiate game as a redshirt freshman in 1999, he scored three rushing touchdowns in just over one quarter of play. His last touchdown was a spectacular flip in which he landed awkwardly on his ankle, forcing him to miss the remainder of the game in addition to the following game. During the season, Vick led a last-minute game-winning drive against West Virginia in the annual rivalry game. He led the Hokies to an 11-0 season and to the 2000 Bowl Championship Series national title game in the Nokia Sugar Bowl against Florida State University. Although Virginia Tech lost 46-29, Vick was able to bring the team back from a 21 point deficit to take a brief lead. During the season, Vick appeared on the cover of an ESPN The Magazine issue.

Vick led the NCAA in passing efficiency that year, setting a record for a freshman (180.4), which was also good enough for the third-highest all-time mark (Colt Brennan holds the record at 185.9 from his 2006 season at Hawaii). Vick was awarded an ESPY Award as the nation's top college player, and won the first-ever Archie Griffin Award as college football's most valuable player. He was invited to the 1999 Heisman Trophy presentation and finished third in the voting behind Ron Dayne and Joe Hamilton. Vick's third-place finish matched the highest finish ever by a freshman up to that point, first set by Herschel Walker in 1980 (Adrian Peterson has since broken that mark, finishing second in 2004).

Vick's 2000 season did have its share of highlights, such as his career rushing high of 210 yards against the Boston College Eagles in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Against West Virginia in the Black Diamond Trophy game, Vick accounted for 288 total yards of offense and two touchdowns in a 48-20 win. In his final collegiate season, Virginia Tech finished 11-1, with the lone loss coming against the highly-ranked University of Miami (A game where Vick did not start and saw limited action due to an ankle injury). Vick's final game at Virginia Tech came in the Toyota Gator Bowl, where he was named MVP of the game.

With the opportunity and huge financial benefits as an option, Vick elected to quit Virginia Tech after two years to become a of professional football player. Aware that the rest of his family was still living in their 3 bedroom apartment in the Ridley Circle Homes, Michael Vick stated that he was going to buy his mother "a home and a car."

Professional career

NFL Draft

Vick was selected in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft with the first overall pick. The San Diego Chargers had the number one selection spot in the draft that year but traded the rights to the first overall choice to the Atlanta Falcons a day before the draft, for which they received the Falcons' first round pick (5th overall) and third round pick in 2001 (used to draft CB Tay Cody), a second round pick in 2002 (used to draft WR Reche Caldwell) and WR/KR Tim Dwight. With the Chargers' downgraded spot (the 5th overall), they selected Texas Christian University running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who went on to become league MVP in 2006 (although Vick has never become league MVP, he finished second in voting in 2004). In this way, Tomlinson and Vick are linked as having been "traded" for each other, although the transaction was actually the result of traded draft picks and contract negotiations.

Early NFL career

Vick made his NFL debut at San Francisco on September 9, 2001, and saw limited action. He completed his first NFL pass with an 18-yard strike to WR Tony Martin in the second quarter vs. Carolina on September 23 and first NFL touchdown on a two-yard rushing score in the fourth quarter to help the Falcons to a 24-16 victory. Vick made his first career start at Dallas on November 11 and threw the first touchdown pass of his career on a nine-yard toss to TE Alge Crumpler in a 20-13 victory. In his two starts of the eight games played that season, Vick completed 50 of 113 passes for 785 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, including accounting for 234 of the team's 255 yards at the team’s season finale at St. Louis on January 6, 2002. He also rushed 29 times for 289 yards (9.9 avg.) and one touchdown.

In 2002, Vick became a bona fide star and MVP candidate in his first season as a full-time starter at the age of 22. He was named to his first Pro Bowl after starting all 15 games played, only missing a game to the New York Giants on October 13 due to a sprained shoulder. He completed 231 of 421 passes for 2,936 yards (both career-highs) and 16 touchdowns, while he also tallied 113 carries for 777 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. In this season, Vick established numerous single-game career-highs, including passes completed with 24 and pass attempts with 46 at Pittsburgh on November 10, as well as passing yards with 337 vs. Detroit on December 22. He also completed a career-long 74 yards for a touchdown to WR Trevor Gaylor vs. New Orleans on November 17. Vick registered an NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single a game with 173 yards at Minnesota on December 1. Vick also tied for third in team history for the lowest interception percentage in a season at 1.90 and continued a streak of consecutive passes without an interception that began at St. Louis on January 6, 2002 in the season-finale of the 2001 season and extended to the first quarter vs. Baltimore on November 3, 2002. His streak covered 25 straight quarters and 177 passes without an interception. On January 1, 2003, Vick led the Atlanta Falcons to an upset victory over the heavily favored Green Bay Packers 27-7 in the NFC playoffs, ending the Packers' undefeated playoff record at Lambeau Field. The Falcons would later lose 20-6 to the Donovan McNabb-led Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC divisional playoff game.

2003-2004 NFL seasons

During a pre-season game against the Baltimore Ravens on August 16, Vick suffered a fractured right fibula and missed the first 11 games of the regular season. In Week 13, Vick made his season debut in relief of QB Doug Johnson in the third quarter at Houston on November 30, completing 8 of 11 passes for 60 yards and recording 16 rushing yards on three carries. He posted his first start of the season vs. Carolina on December 7 and amassed the third-highest rushing total by a quarterback in NFL history with 141 yards on 14 carries and one score to lead the Falcons to a come-from-behind 20-14 overtime victory. The 141 yards trail Tobin Rote's 150 yards on November 18, 1951 with Green Bay and his own NFL record of 173 at Minnesota December 1, 2002 on the NFL's all-time list for quarterbacks. He also completed 16 of 33 passes for 179 yards and accounted for 320 of the team's 380 total yards worth of offense. On December 20, Vick engineered a 30-28 victory at Tampa Bay completing 8 of 15 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns for a passer rating of 119.2. Vick closed out the season with a 21-14 victory vs. Jacksonville on December 28, where he completed 12 of 22 passes for 180 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Ending the season starting four of five games played, Vick completed 50 of 100 passes for 585 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions and also rushing 40 times for 255 yards and one touchdown while guiding the Falcons to a 3-1 record in the final four weeks of action.

In 2004, Vick was named to his second Pro Bowl after starting all 15 games played and completing 181 of 321 passes for 2,313 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while he also posted career-highs with 120 carries for 902 yards along with three rushing touchdowns. The 902 rushing yards with a 7.52 average per carry ranked third and second, respectively, in NFL annals for quarterbacks. Vick was also named NFC Offensive Player of the Week on two separate occasions during the season, one for his performance at Denver on October 31 when he became the first quarterback to throw for more than 250 yards and rush for over 100 yards in the same game. He led the team to an 11-4 record, which was the third-best record for a starting quarterback in team history behind Chris Chandler (13-1 in 1998) and Steve Bartkowski (12-4 in 1980). Overall, the Falcons finished the season with an 11-5 record, earning a first-round bye in the NFL playoffs for only the third time in franchise history. The Vick-led Falcons rushed for a playoff record 317 yards. (Vick himself had 119 of them, setting an NFL playoff record for a quarterback). He also threw two touchdown passes against the Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. However, the Eagles again played the role of heart breaker, beating them in the NFC title game 27-10.

On December 23, 2004, Vick signed a 10-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons worth $130 million with a $37 million signing bonus, making him the highest paid player in NFL history at that time and one of the highest paid ever in sports. Vick's deal surpasses the $98 million contract the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning signed in March 2005. Manning, who signed for seven years, is guaranteed $34.5 million in bonuses. Vick's $130 million potential value tops Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb's 12-year, $115 million deal that runs through 2013.

Recent NFL career

Vick scans the field against the Saints

In 2005, Vick was named to his third Pro Bowl after starting all 15 games played and completing 214 of 387 passes for 2,412 yards with 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His 597 rushing yards on 102 carries (5.9 avg.) with six scores led all NFL quarterbacks and his 5.9 average yards per carry led all NFL rushers with at least 100 carries. Vick also helped three players have career years in RB Warrick Dunn, TE Alge Crumpler, and WR Michael Jenkins.

Vick (#7) watches from the sidelines while the defense is on the field against the Giants

On October 22, 2006, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Vick had his first game in which he threw three or more touchdowns. After three quarters, Vick had four touchdowns, three of which went to Alge Crumpler. The following week against the Cincinnati Bengals, he threw three more with no interceptions and was honored with the NFC Player of the Week award. Vick also had a career high-tying four TD passes vs. Dallas in Week 15. During the 2006 season, Vick connected on 204 of 388 passes for 2,474 yards with a career-high 20 touchdowns. He was also third in the league in rushes of ten or more yards with 44, behind only the Giants' Tiki Barber (50) and Kansas City's Larry Johnson (49).

Only Randall Cunningham and Steve Young have more rushing yards at the quarterback position than Vick, who is ranked first in career rushing yards among active QB's. Vick is also first among QB's all-time in rushing yards per game, at 53.5 yards per game. Cunningham is second (30.6/g), Bobby Douglass is third (29.8/g). Vick also holds several NFL quarterback rushing records, including most rushing yards in one game (173), most 100-yard rushing games (7), and most rushing yards in a single season (1,039).

Style of play

Vick (far left) runs the offense against the Lions in a 2005 Thanksgiving Day game

Vick is noted for his unique, explosive playing style. Some commentators consider him the most exciting player in the game of football, and he has given himself the nickname "Superman". Gifted with agility, speed, and a strong arm, he can engineer big plays with both his arm and his legs. Notable is the fact that while he throws left-handed, he is otherwise right-handed. In the 2004 football season (including post season), he rushed for over 1000 yards. Vick's mobility has often caused major problems for opposing defenses, which have to defend against him differently than they would against a conventional-style quarterback. Whereas most quarterbacks are not a major threat to run the ball for a lot of yards, Vick is capable of breaking huge runs from anywhere on the field or evading defenders to give his receivers time to get open.

The Falcons are one of the few teams in the NFL to have a large number of specifically-designed running plays for their quarterback. His speed and arm strength also pose a threat to "Cover 2" defenses, which can be neutralized by short and medium range passes, which requires a quarterback with a strong arm.

While Vick is not the first scrambling, lefty-throwing quarterback (Bobby Douglass was a dual threat with the Chicago Bears in the 1970s, and Steve Young of the 49ers in the 1990s), few present-day quarterbacks possess Vick's mobility.

Vick is an elite runner but only has average accuracy when it comes to his passing game. His career completion percentage is 53.8%.

Despite his past injuries, which include knee and hamstring ailments, former Falcons head coach Jim Mora Jr. implemented an offensive scheme obviously derived from the option offense early in the 2006 season to take advantage of Vick's athleticism. The option offense is generally not used in the National Football League due to the punishment quarterbacks often receive.

Vick stated after the 2004 season that he wouldn't cut his hair until he won a Super Bowl. However, in his court appearance on July 26th, he appeared with short hair.

Debate and criticism

The most frequent criticisms of Vick are that he has poor fundamental skills and that he puts himself at unnecessary risk of injury. Critics cite the leg fracture he suffered in the 2003 pre-season against the Ravens, and a knee injury he suffered early in the 2005 season (which reoccurred a few weeks later), that hampered his mobility throughout the year as prime evidence that Vick needs to learn to "pick his spots" as a runner, citing the example of Steve Young, another mobile left-handed signal caller who had a mediocre professional career before being placed in an offensive system with the San Francisco 49ers that optimized his talents. Young eventually won a Super Bowl and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005, becoming the first left-handed quarterback to be so honored.

The aforementioned playoff win against the Packers remains perhaps Vick's biggest career win as a starter. But while Vick does deserve some credit in engineering the victory, he finished the game with a 52 percent completion rate, throwing for just 117 yards and one touchdown. Meanwhile, the Falcons' defense forced three fumbles from three different players and forced future Hall of Famer Brett Favre into throwing two interceptions while limiting running back Ahman Green, at the time one of the league's top rushers, to just 34 yards. Atlanta's special teams unit also blocked a punt and returned it for one of the Falcons' three touchdowns.

Critics have stated that while Vick has a powerful arm, his passes are not nearly as accurate as those of other top quarterbacks in the league, such as New England's Tom Brady or Indianapolis' Peyton Manning, both of whom have better quarterback ratings. Vick supporters argue that the quarterback rating doesn't take into account Vick's rushing yards, and is not an accurate benchmark of Vick's contribution to the team. However, another counterpoint from critics is that sacks and yards lost are not integrated into an NFL quarterback's rushing stats, making it technically impossible for Vick, or any other quarterback, to carry a negative rushing average. This in turn masks the cost of Vick's unsuccessful attempts to rush.

In a November 2005 press conference, Vick scoffed at the notion that he was a weak "pocket" passer. Vick's knee problem had limited his mobility, and his quarterback rating actually improved modestly. However, the Falcon's winning percentage did not likewise increase.

Other pundits also believe that the Falcons, while replete with competent "possession" receivers, lack a fast, "deep threat" wideout who can make yards after the catch. To help remedy this, the Falcons acquired former Buffalo Bills wideout Peerless Price prior to the 2003 season. But Price proved to be a massive disappointment, catching just six touchdowns passes over the course of two seasons. He was released by the organization prior to the 2005 season and re-signed with Buffalo. Arguably, Vick's favorite target is tight end Alge Crumpler, a very good receiver, but certainly no speedster. Receiver Brian Finneran, another favorite target of Vick's (but, like Crumpler, no speedster), suffered a devastating left knee injury in the Falcons' training camp and missed the 2006 season.

Vick's critics have countered that it's unfair to cast the blame on the receivers alone, though, since Vick remains the common denominator in the Falcons offense. There have also been reports that Vick and the Falcons coaching staff do not always see eye to eye, and that Vick struggled to understand the intricate West Coast playbook, which led to the implementation of the option-esque offense. Other pundits have stated that they believe that traditional "rules" about what a quarterback should be and how the position should be played do not apply to Vick due to his effective, non-traditional style.

A few critics have been even harsher than simply singling out Vick's accuracy woes, derisively labeling him an "athlete" who happens to play the quarterback position rather than a true quarterback. He has shown the potential to be at least an adequate passer, however. He amassed a quarterback rating of 81.6 in 2002, which is his best performance in that statistical category.

Vick's visibility has earned him some backlash as well. Some fans have reacted negatively to the constant media hype that surrounds Vick, and feel that the over exuberant American sports media anointed him as the best player in football without sufficient proof for the accolade. For instance, Vick's selection to the Pro Bowl for the 2005 season was a controversial one, given that in addition to his 15 touchdown passes, he threw 13 interceptions, and that his 2,412 passing yards is extremely below average. However, he did rush for over 500 yards and scored six touchdowns. Following Vick's Pro Bowl selection, sports columnist Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News called Vick "the most overrated player in the league." Likewise, in an NFL season preview article in the August, 2006 issue of Maxim, the magazine's readers crowned Vick as "Most Overrated." A Sports Illustrated poll taken in 2005 also showed that the Vick is considered to the most overrated player in the NFL.

Personal life

Controversy and troubles

Ron Mexico lawsuit

In March 2005 a woman named Sonya Elliott filed a civil lawsuit against Vick alleging she contracted genital herpes from Vick and that he failed to inform her that he had the disease. Elliot further alleged that Vick had visited clinics under the alias "Ron Mexico" to get treatments and thus he knew of his condition. This led to a deluge of fans ordering customized #7 Atlanta Falcons jerseys on NFLShop.com with the name "Mexico" on the back. Due to the media interest surrounding the case, the National Football League disallowed the use of the jersey/name combination two days after the lawsuit. On April 24, 2006 Vick's attorney, Lawrence Woodward, revealed that the lawsuit had settled out of court with an undisclosed amount.

Video game developer Midway Games has alluded to Vick and his Ron Mexico alter-ego in their 2006 title, Blitz: The League. Due to Midway's loss of the National Football League license (EA Sports now has exclusive NFL licensing), all teams and players in the game are fictitious. However, the "Washington Redhawks"' star quarterback is a mobile, left-handed passer named "Mike Mexico."

Obscene gesture incident

After a Falcons loss to the New Orleans Saints in the Georgia Dome on November 26, 2006 and in reaction to his home fans booing him, Vick made an obscene gesture at Atlanta fans, holding up two middle fingers. Vick has said, "I'm sorry and I apologize to all the young kids and to whoever saw me make that gesture. I just let my emotions get the best of me in that situation and it won't happen again." Vick was fined $10,000 by the NFL for his obscene gesture, and agreed to donate another $10,000 to charity.

Water bottle incident

On January 17, 2007 Vick surrendered a water bottle to security at Miami International Airport. Due to Vick's reluctance to leave the bottle behind, it was later retrieved from a trash receptacle. The bottle was found to have a hidden compartment that contained "a small amount of dark particulate and a pungent aroma closely associated with marijuana," a Miami police report said. "The compartment was hidden by the bottle's label so that it appeared to be a full bottle of water when held upright," police said. On Monday, January 22, 2007, the test results indicated there were no illegal substances in the water bottle and Vick was cleared of any wrongdoing. Vick also was drug tested, and the results were negative.

The security tape from the airport documenting the incident has also been erased because, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Miami-Dade Police Department spokesman Robert Williams wrote in an e-mail: "That information was shown to the State's Attorney's office and it was determined by them that no criminal act was committed and no charges were filed. Therefore, this video was deleted from the flash drive since it was not being used in a criminal case."

The Falcons later released the following statement: "We appreciate the speed at which the Miami authorities concluded their investigation, and we are pleased to learn of the outcome of the investigation. This is another reminder of the high-profile nature of a professional athlete and the close scrutiny players undergo related to their conduct on and off the field. We look forward to putting this matter behind us."

On March 22, 2007, Vick announced that the water bottle was a jewelry stash box, and that the substance in question had been jewelry. Vick indicated that he keeps his jewelry there to prevent theft.

Before the test results indicated there were no illegal substances in the water bottle and Vick was cleared of any wrongdoing, Saturday Night Live went on to do a parody of the incident in which they questioned Vick's actions in a skit called "Really?"

Missed appearance on Capitol Hill

On April 24, 2007, Vick was scheduled to lobby on Capitol Hill, hoping to persuade lawmakers to increase funding for after-school programs. Vick missed a connecting flight in Atlanta on Monday and failed to show for his Tuesday morning appearance.

Vick's publicist, Susan Bass, said it wasn't his fault, saying Vick was in Tampa, Florida on Monday to play in teammate Warrick Dunn's charity golf tournament, then caught a flight to Atlanta that was supposed to arrive in time for him to make another flight to Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. However, Bass said the AirTran flight was late leaving Tampa, and Vick missed his connection, and wound up stuck in Atlanta, Bass said. "He was really mad," Bass added. AirTran booked Vick on a later flight Monday evening in time to make the Tuesday morning appearance, but Vick failed to show for the flight.

Vick's mother, Brenda Vick Boddie, accepted an award from the Afterschool Alliance on her son's behalf. Vick was honored for his foundation's work with after-school projects in Georgia and Virginia.

Bad Newz Kennels investigation

Main article: Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation

Beginning on April 25, 2007, widespread media publicity was drawn by discovery of evidence of unlawful dog fighting activities at a property he owns in a rural county in southeastern Virginia. On July 17, 2007, Vick and three other men were indicted by a federal grand jury for felony and misdemeanor charges involving a 6-year long interstate dog fighting venture called "Bad Newz Kennels" and tens of thousands of dollars in gambling activities. Authorities contend that Vick's 15-acre estate in Surry County near Smithfield, Virginia was purchased and developed specifically for the criminal enterprise.

Even within a controversial and brutal blood sport, the federal allegations detailed exceptionally extreme violence involving execution of losing and under-performing dogs by electrocution, hanging, drowning and shooting, including Vick's direct involvement, drawing extensive negative publicity and expressions of public outrage. On July 23, after days of public statements, protests, and demands for suspension of Vick from NFL play pending the resolution of the pending criminal charges, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Vick and ordered him not to report to the Falcons training camp. Detention hearings and arraignments on the federal counts for Vick and the codefendents were held on July 26 in U.S. District Court in Richmond. Vick and his three codefendants were released under the direct supervision of the court and certain conditions pending trial on November 26, 2007.

On July 24, Surry County Sheriff Harold D. Brown, stated that he felt certain state indictments for additional charges in Virginia would be returned by a local grand jury during its September session. According to the Code of Virginia, various violations of the Virginia laws involving dog fighting and cruelty to companion animals are considered class 6 felony crimes, each carrying a fine and 1 to 5 years in prison per offense. Over fifty dogs were seized, in addition to carcasses recovered during several searches of Vick's property.

Endorsements

Vick is a spokesperson for many companies; his endorsement contracts have included Nike, EA Sports, Coca-Cola, Powerade, Kraft, Rawlings, Hasbro and AirTran. His contract along with his endorsements had Vick ranked 33 among Forbes' Top 100 Celebrities in 2005. However, two years later, he was not even listed on the most recent Forbes Top 100 Celebrities. Even before the animal cruelty case surfaced in 2007, Vick's corporate status had deteriorated, apparently due to extensive bad press. Among the negative incidents cited by observers of this was his middle finger gesture to Atlanta football fans in 2006. His endorsement deals with at least six companies (Coca-Cola, EA Sports, Kraft Foods, Hasbro and AirTran) have expired over the past few years and have not been renewed.

On July 18, 2007, following extensive media coverage of the content of Vick's 18-page federal indictment of July 17, Neil Schwartz, director of marketing for SportScanInfo, which tracks sporting goods sales, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "I just think it's going to be really hard for Michael to somehow repair his public image unless these charges are totally false... American people are incredibly forgiving, but the heinous nature of what went on here may be a whole different ballgame." The same article also quoted Bill Sutton, a professor of sports business at the University of Central Florida: "You won't find him anywhere" in advertising or marketing in the near future. MS-NBC quoted David Carter, founder of the Sports Business Group, a Southern California-based provider of strategic sports-marketing services: "Number one, animal cruelty is something no one will tolerate. Number two, you have the underbelly of possible gambling. Number three, you have the strength of [animal] advocacy groups. They aren't going away."

On July 27, Adidas announced its Reebok division would stop selling Vick football jerseys and the NFL said it had pulled all Vick-related items from NFLShop.com. AirTran had ended a relationship earlier in the spring, and Nike made two Vick-related announcements in July as well. Donruss, a trading card company, has decided to pull Vick's card from any future 2007 releases, according to Beckett Media, which covers the collectibles industry.

AirTran

Most recently, AirTran did not renew their relationship on May 8 2007. This was after both his missed appearance on Capitol Hill on April 24 and the police search at his property near Smithfield, Virginia later the same week, when the dog fighting investigation became widely known, but well before the most damaging allegations and the federal indictments.

AirTran has made no public statements regarding the reason for ending the endorsement relationship with Vick. However, ESPN reported on May 31 "especially stinging to AirTran was that Vick's publicist blamed the airline when the quarterback known for his quickness failed to arrive in Washington to speak before Congress. AirTran said Vick had ample opportunities to get to his destination on AirTran but chose not to."

Nike

According to the Virginian-Pilot in a July 19, 2007 article, Vick's biggest marketing deal is with Nike. The article reported that the company said in an e-mail to The Associated Press on July 18 that it is aware of the indictment and is "reviewing the information." Later on the same day, USA Today reported that Vick's legal troubles have prompted Nike to suspend the release of its latest product line named after him, telling retailers it will not release a fifth signature shoe, the Air Zoom Vick V, "this summer."

The same day Nike issued a press release titled "Nike Statement Regarding Michael Vick" stating:

Nike is concerned by the serious and highly disturbing allegations made against Michael Vick and we consider any cruelty to animals inhumane and abhorrent. We do believe that Michael Vick should be afforded the same due process as any citizen, therefore, we have not terminated our relationship. We have however made the decision to suspend the release of the Zoom Vick V and related marketing communications. Nike will continue to monitor the situation closely and have no further comment at this time.

On July 27, Nike announced it "has suspended Michael Vick's contract without pay, and will not sell any more Michael Vick product at Nike owned retail at this time." The company said it had not terminated the contract, as animal-rights activists had urged the company to do.

Charity work

In June 2006, Vick, along with his brother Marcus Vick and mother Brenda Vick Boddie, established The Vick Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports at-risk youth and the after school programs that serve them in the Metro Atlanta and Hampton Roads areas. The announcement of the organization came just before the start of the foundation’s first fundraiser, the Michael Vick Golf Classic. The inaugural event was held at the prestigious Kingsmill Golf Course in James City County near Williamsburg, Virginia in partnership with The Virginia Tech Alumni Association Tidewater Chapter, and netted more than $80,000 for charity.[1]

After the Virginia Tech massacre in April 2007, Vick teamed up with the United Way to donate $10,000 to assist families affected by the tragedy. Vick explained, "When tragic things like this happen, families have enough to deal with, and if I can help in some small way, that's the least I can do." The Vick Foundation is collecting donations from local communities in both Atlanta and Virginia that will be placed in the United In Caring Fund for Victims of the Virginia Tech Tragedy and the special fund at the United Way of Montgomery, Radford and Floyd counties, which serves the Virginia Tech area. Vick's foundation said the money will be used to provide help with funeral expenses, transportation for family members and other support services.

It was announced in June 2007 that the "Michael Vick Football Camp" to be held at Christopher Newport University in Newport News was canceled for the summer 2007 session because of "scheduling issues." The university on Warwick Boulevard in Newport News is partially located on the site of the former Homer L. Ferguson High School (which closed in 1996), the school where Vick began his football fame. He also canceled participation in another football camp to be held at the College of William and Mary. According to that university, his place was to be taken by Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell.

On June 22, 2007, a charity golf tournament featuring Vick, intended in part to raise scholarships in memory of Virginia Tech's shooting victims, was rescheduled for September. The tournament at Kingsmill Resort & Spa had been set to begin on June 29, and a reason for the change was not announced. The tournament is the latest in a series of Virginia appearances either canceled or delayed since Vick's name surfaced in a dog fighting investigation.

Accolades

College awards and achievements

List of college awards

• 1999 Big East Conference Rookie of the Year
• 1999 Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Year
• 1999 Archie Griffin Award
• 2000 Best College Football Player ESPY Award
• 2001 Toyota Gator Bowl MVP

List of college records and milestones

• Led the Hokies to a 20-1 record over two seasons and carried the school to the National Championship Game in his first season as a college starting quarterback in 1999.
• Applied for early entry into NFL draft (as a redshirt sophomore) after two seasons as Virginia Tech's starter and one appearance in a National Championship Game.
• Completed 87 of 161 passes for 1,234 yards with eight touchdowns while carrying 104 times for 607 yards as a sophomore in 2000.
• Captured the first-ever Archie Griffin Award as college football Player of the Year as a (redshirt) freshman when he led the nation in passing efficiency at 180.37, the second-highest total ever, and guided the Hokies to a perfect 11-0 regular season record.
• Set an NCAA record for a freshman and established single-season school records for highest yards passing per completion (20.4), per attempt (12.1), highest completion percentage (59.2) and most yards per play (9.3).
• Appeared in ten games, completing 90 of 152 passes for 1,840 yards with 12 touchdowns, and rushed 108 times for 585 yards with eight more scores. He averaged 242.5 yards of offense per game.
• His performance in the Sugar Bowl vs. Florida State for the National Championship included completing 15 of 29 pass attempts for 225 yards with a 49-yard touchdown pass, as well as gaining 97 yards on 23 carries with a three-yard score, to total 322 yards of offense in almost single-handedly engineering an upset before falling, 46-29.
• Finished third in the balloting for the coveted Heisman Trophy (matching the highest finish ever by a freshman) while coming away with the hardware for Big East Conference Offensive and Rookie of the Year and finished runner-up in voting for the Associated Press Player of the Year.
• Became the first player in Division I history to win a league's Player of the Year Award in the same season he won Rookie of the Year.
• Finished his career with a 20-1 record as starter at Virginia Tech.
• Prior to the Virginia Tech-LSU contest on September 1, 2002, Vick's No. 7 jersey was retired by the school in a special ceremony. (Under Virginia Tech's then-new policy, the No. 7 jersey continues to be worn as Tech retires jerseys but not numbers.) The school added a banner featuring Vick's jersey and his name in the north end of the end zone.

NFL awards and achievements

List of NFL awards

• Best NFL Player ESPY Award (2003)

List of NFL records and milestones

• In 2006, Vick became the only quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards during the regular season.
• In 2006, Vick set the NFL record for most yards per carry in a season, at 8.4.
• When Vick and RB Jerious Norwood both ran for over 100 yards in Week 4 of the 2006 season, the Falcons became the only NFL team to ever record two games in a franchise's history where both the quarterback and a running back on the same team surpassed the 100-yard mark in the same game. (Vick and Warrick Dunn both eclipsed 100 yards in Week 2 of the same season.)
• Vick (1,039 yards) and Dunn (1,140) became the first QB/RB tandem in NFL history to each go over the 1,000-yard rushing mark in the same season. They also became the fourth set of teammates in league history to each have 1,000 or more yards. The last set of teammates to accomplish the feat were Cleveland RBs Kevin Mack (1,104 yards) and Earnest Byner (1,002) in 1985.
• Earned his second consecutive and third overall Pro Bowl nod in 2005 as he passed for 2,412 yards and 16 touchdowns in addition to leading all NFL quarterbacks with 597 rushing yards and six scores.
• Named to the second Pro Bowl of his career after leading the Falcons to their third division title in team history and breaking numerous NFL and team records in 2004.
• Set an NFL postseason record for a quarterback with 119 rushing yards in the 2004 NFC Divisional Playoff win against the Rams.
• Became the first quarterback to ever throw for more than 250 yards and rush for over 100 yards in the same game at the Broncos (10/31/04).
• Named to the 2002 Pro Bowl, becoming the sixth quarterback to be voted to the NFL All-Star game in his first year as a starter since 1970, joining Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins (1983), Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers (1992), Kurt Warner of the St. Louis Rams (1999), Daunte Culpepper of the Minnesota Vikings (2000), and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots (2001). This group would later include Marc Bulger of the St. Louis Rams (2003), Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers (2006), and Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys (2006).
• Top overall NFL draft choice in 2001 after a celebrated college career at Virginia Tech. Was the fourth Falcons #1 overall pick in club history (Tommy Nobis in 1966, Steve Bartkowski in 1975, Aundray Bruce in 1988)

Trivia

Vick on the cover of Madden NFL 2004

• Vick is a spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta and the Empty Stocking Fund and gives credit to the Boys & Girls Club in his hometown for helping him grow as a youth and provides a monetary donation through a player performance pledge to the local chapter for every touchdown pass. Vick also invited more than 100 kids from the Boys & Girls club locally to the team’s facility after a Saturday practice for a punt, pass and kick competition, as well as a flag football game. He purchased tickets for the kids to attend a Falcons game the next day.
• As a part of ESPN.com's "Jocks to GI's", he had a GI e-mail pen pal overseas during the war with Iraq that he communicated with in the spring of 2003. He and USAF Staff Sgt. Angela Geist from Lawrenceville, Georgia, shared emails and life experiences.
• Named to Sports Illustrated's "101 Most Influential Minorities In Sports" in May of 2003 at #77 and was chosen to be the EA Sports cover athlete and spokesman for (John) Madden NFL 2004.
• Became the 11th quarterback selected with the top overall pick in the NFL draft since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 and the first African-American quarterback ever taken with the #1 overall choice.
• Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 30th round of the 2000 MLB draft despite not playing baseball since the 8th grade.
• Hails from talent-rich Hampton Roads area of Virginia that has also produced the likes of athletes such as Allen Iverson (Denver Nuggets), Ronald Curry (ex-UNC football and basketball player), Bruce Smith (ex-Virginia Tech football and Buffalo Bills player).
• Vick holds the record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a regular season NFL game. He rushed for 173 yards on December 1, 2002 versus Minnesota at the Metro Dome. Vick ran for a 46 yards touchdown to win the game 30-24 in overtime.
• Vick is mentioned in Yung Berg's "Sexy Lady", Lil' Jon's "In Da Club" and Young Jeezys "Gangster Music"
• Rough Diamonds: A Coach's Journey is a 2003 book written by high school Coach Tommy Reamon, about his career working with Michael Vick and numerous other athletes from Newport News.

See Also

• Animal abuse

External links

• Official Website
• Michael Vick at AtlantaFalcons.com
• Michael Vick at NFL.com
• Michael Vick at ESPN.com
• Template:Pro-football-reference

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