For Vick, the Future is Now or Never

Once upon a time, in an entirely different NFL era, Michael Vick was heralded as "The Future" of America's most successful sports league. Today, the prodigious quarterback project - now a thirty-year-old who recently spent twenty-one months in a cage and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy - is stunningly starring as a starter once again. Vick has sprinted his way back to the center of the sports world, shaking off linebackers and personal demons alike along the way. For the one-time boy wonder, the future is now or never.

Only nine years separate us from a long-gone reality in which the Falcons paraded their prized draft pick through the streets of Atlanta. Expectations of Super Bowl championships and record-setting statistics were immediately set into place when Vick arrived as the first overall selection of the 2001 NFL Draft. The 21-year-old came to town fresh off a scintillating career at Virginia Tech, where his dazzling, instinctive style of play captured the nation's attention. Vick carried the Hokies to the national championship game as a redshirt freshman in 1999 and, despite a lopsided loss to Florida State, he became the unquestionable king of college football. In the decade since he joined the professional ranks, only Tim Tebow and Reggie Bush have matched the hype that surrounded Vick throughout his playing days in Blacksburg.

Even the experts didn't know how to define Vick when he made a highly-anticipated leap to the NFL. His incomparable skill set at the quarterback position challenged defensive coordinators around the country. If a play broke down and improvisation was neeeded, Vick could gloriously turn a five-yard loss into a 50-yard highlight-reel scramble. He was the original Mr. Wildcat at quarterback and his electrifying dual threat capabilities left an indelible impression on college football lore. Although Vick passed sparingly at Virginia Tech, the lefty threw with a ton of velocity. Despite some accuracy issues, it was believed that a year or two under the tutelage of an NFL offensive coordinator could cure any inconsistencies in Vick's throwing mechanics.

The San Diego Chargers- a notroriously flawed franchise just three years removed from the infamous Ryan Leaf fiasco - owned the first selection in 2001. It was presumed San Diego would take the hero of Hokieville and count on him to rescue the team from its downward spiral. The Chargers even signed veteran scrambler Doug Flutie as an apparent mentor but, in a stunning twist, San Diego got cold feet and traded the pick to Atlanta for a package of players and draft choices. Perhaps San Diego was afraid to get burned by another "can't miss" quarterback prospect, or maybe it was an economic decision - rumors circulated that Vick desired a record-shattering rookie contract. Whatever the reason, Atlanta became the site of the NFL's new main attraction - the Michael Vick Experience.

The popularity Vick garnered at Virginia Tech followed him into the NFL and it didn't take long for his jersey to become the league's top seller. Atlanta's new quarterback became Nike's poster boy and netted LeBron-like endorsement deals years before James' emergence (Coca-Cola, EA Sports and Powerade were among his investors). Vick earned his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2002 - just his second year in the league. The '02 season remains Vick's finest to date, as he led Atlanta to the postseason and became the first visiting QB to knock off the Packers in a home playoff game. The win at Lambeau Field prematurely vaulted Vick into the perceived upper echelon of NFL passers.

A fractured fibula during the following preseason sidelined Vick and squelched Atlanta's chances of improving on the breakout '02 campaign. Though he continued to run circles around defenders upon his return from injury - gaining over 2,500 yards rushing between 2004 and 2006 - whispers about Vick's lack of pocket presence, passing accuracy and quarterback

savvy began to grow louder. The defensive gameplan against the improvisational genius became simplified: constantly spy and blitz him with linebackers to cut off running lanes and make Vick beat you with his arm. Despite two more Pro Bowl selections and a trip to the 2004 NFC Championship game, Falcons fans began to grow frustrated with Vick's inconsistent performance as a passer. Mounting tension between the franchise's fan base and star culminated in the aftermath of a November, 2006 home loss to New Orleans, when Vick gave the Georgia Dome crowd a middle-finger salute (pictured, right) as he headed off the field. It was the beginning of an ugly end to a once-promising career in Atlanta.

Though Vick became the first quarterback in NFL history to gain 1,000 yards on the ground, he completed just 52% of his passes during an '06 season that saw the Falcons muddle their way to 7-9. Despite the struggles, no one could've imagined Vick's sixth year in Atlanta would be his last. Then came the dastardly dog fighting scandal.

On August 24, 2007 - weeks before Vick's seventh season was set to begin and hours after he pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation - the NFL suspended its one-time golden boy indefinitely without pay. From that point on, things moved downhill fast for the fallen superstar. A judge ordered Vick to reimburse the Falcons nearly $20 million dollars of his signing bonus. Shortly after, he was sent to Leavenworth Prison in Kansas to serve his mandatory jail sentence. The quarterback that no defense could cage was placed in a small cell for nearly two years, his prospects of returning to professional football on life support.

During his time in prison, everyone from the president of PETA to former teammates let Vick have it. Aside from being labled a cold-hearted dog killer, revelations from his tenure in Atlanta began to trickle out. Reports stated he was always the last player to arrive for team functions, while being the first to hit the road. Some called him a chemistry-killer who lacked the necessary accountability and wherewithal to lead an NFL franchise. Few star athletes endured such a swift fall from grace as Vick - Tiger Woods and Barry Bonds come to mind - and many wondered whether he would be blackballed by NFL teams upon his eventual release from Leavenworth.

Tony Dungy - a former Super Bowl champion coach and devout Christian - took up the task of mentoring Vick as he moved toward a new chapter in his shattered life. Dungy visited Vick in prison and acted as a liaison between the embattled quarterback and the NFL. After his release, Dungy publicly praised the strides his pupil had made in such a short time. Vick had matured into a humble grown man, ready to own up to his heinous mistakes and move on, Dungy said. A year and a half later, it appears Dungy - as usual - was right on point.

When the Philadelphia Eagles swooped in and signed the controversial QB on August 13, 2009, many in NFL circles were stunned. Just a few years removed from the Terrell Owens debacle, it seemed unlikely head coach Andy Reid would invite the opportunity for another distraction. However, Reid's respect for Dungy and awareness of Vick's God-given abilities ultimately outweighed the potential PETA protesters and media backlash. Philadelphia handed him a one year, $1.6 million contract, with a $5 million team option for 2010. The money - as well as Vick's spot on the roster - was not guaranteed.

From a football perspective, the move was startling. Philadelphia already possessed a franchise quarterback in Donovan McNabb, who led the Eagles to five division titles and four NFC Championship games. Kevin Kolb - the team's first pick in the 2007 draft - lingered in the background as McNabb's heir apparent. Vick's 2009 season was a tad awkward and overly ineffective, as Reid used him sporadically in an attempt to throw off defenses.

Entering the offseason, Vick's future again grew cloudy. Philadelphia supposedly made Vick available on the trade market. Any team in the NFL likely could've acquired him for little more than a third or fourth-round draft pick. No one took the bait. Instead, the Eagles dealt McNabb to Washington and awarded Kolb with a two-year, $12 million contract extension that solidified him as the starter at quarterback moving forward. Vick would be elevated to the team's primary backup, but seemed doubtful to receive increased playing time as Reid worked on improving Kolb.

That was then (two weeks ago), this is now. A vicious hit from Green Bay's Clay Matthews returned Kolb to the sidelines with a concussion in the season opener. Kolb - who looked overwhemed in one half of football - was ruled out of last Sunday's matchup in Detroit. Just a few years ago, he may not have missed any time with a head injury, but the NFL has ramped up its efforts to prevent brain damage and there's no way a team can get away with breaking from that trend. Nearly four years removed from his last start with Atlanta, an unlikely opportunity presented itself for Vick.

After an impressive performance in the second half of the Packers game, Vick filled in as starter on the road versus the Lions. Simply put, his performance was captivating. There was Vick, spinning out of sacks and moving the Eagles up and down Ford Field. His threat to run created space for second-year running back LeSean McCoy, who passed the century mark in yards for the first time in his career. A noticeable rapport with receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin helped Vick complete 62% of his passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns. Suddenly, Vick's instinctiveness and athleticism were combined with the most important tool an NFL quarterback can possess: preparation.

The quarterback's newfound diligence on the practice field and in the film room has fueled his journey on the comeback express. His committment is a result of social Darwinism. As his prison release neared, Vick faced a choice - he could adapt and develop into an accountable, goal-oriented teammate or remain an egotistical inidvidual and doom his chances of a return to football. So far, so good. Yesterday - less than 24 hours after he confirmed Kolb's return to the starting lineup - Reid had a change of heart, tabbing Vick as his starter at quarterback, while acknowledging the move had nothing to do with Kolb's concussion.

Two weeks into the "Kolb Era", Vick pried the starting job away from a young man who spent three years being groomed for the role. This move goes against just about everything we've seen from Reid during his 11-year tenure in Philly. Typically ho-hum and frustratingly stubborn, Reid contradicted himself by benching Kolb. It wasn't hard to see that he was OK with that, as Big Red beamed at Tuesday's press conference, using colorful phrases like "playing out of his mind" and "brilliant" to describe Vick's six quarters as Philadelphia's quarterback.

Perhaps Reid saw this coming all along, ever since he signed the freshly freed QB. Or maybe, just like Vick, the veteran coach has adapted by putting aside personal pride for the betterment of his squad. Welcome to the Andy Reid Era: Version 2.0. The potential of a young, lightning fast offense is scary...but so is the risk. If these past two weeks prove to be an aberration and Reid was too impulsive in handing the keys over to Vick, the result would spell disaster for both men. Regardless of how this ultimately plays out, Michael Vick is starting on Sundays once more. That should be more than enough motivation for a man who watched Philadelphia's 2009 NFC Championship loss to Arizona from behind bars.