"I'm just hoping that Michael can take that penalty and move forward and come back, recapture his career and his direction. And it can send a message to young people again, that I've made mistakes and will pay my penalty."
- Super Bowl champion Tony Dungy, Dec. 10, 2007
(day of Vick's prison sentencing)
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Steve Young called it one of the top five quarterback performances he has ever witnessed. Tom Brady said he was amazed. Television analysts Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski couldn't stop piling on the praise. No matter which superlative you use to describe what we saw at FedEx Field Monday evening, even the naysayers have to admit Michael Vick is back. The controversial QB punctuated an arduous return trip to the epicenter of professional football with a dazzling six touchdown performance in Philadelphia’s 59-28 pummeling of the Washington Redskins.
From the game’s first offensive snap - an 88-yard touchdown strike from Vick to DeSean Jackson – the Eagles’ polarizing passer played like a virtuoso. By the end of a surreal opening quarter, Philadelphia jumped ahead 28-0 and made the five-year deal Donovan McNabb penned with Washington earlier in the day a forgettable sidebar. The night belonged to Vick, who led McNabb’s former squad through an historical onslaught of its division rival in front of a national TV audience.
By the time the contest mercifully ended, Washington's defense earned numerous spots amongst the Eagles’ archives. Philadelphia set franchise records for points scored in the first quarter (28) and in a half (45), while racking up a team-best 593 yards. But we’ve only touched on what took place Monday. The events that led to the performance are what make Vick’s story so unbelievable and his future grippingly compelling.
Before we get to what Vick’s quasi-miraculous renaissance means in Philadelphia, let's take a moment to consider how it resonates in other NFL cities. Crawl inside the minds of the front office folks currently residing in Buffalo. Or Jacksonvile. Or even Dallas. Unless your team’s starting signal caller is named Brady, Brees, Manning or Rivers, you'll have a hard time convincing me that your franchise is honestly better off without Vick behind center.
When league commissioner Rodger Goodell lifted the ban on Vick during the summer of 2009, the fallen-from-grace wunderkind’s services were effectively made available to all 32 NFL franchises. Initially, things moved slowly and the only time teams mentioned Vick was to deny interest in the quarterback. By the conclusion of July, a growing list of teams - including the Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Redskins and EAGLES – publicly announced they would not look into signing the former No. 1 overall draft selection. Then came the stunning change of heart from Andy Reid and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. Vick signed a non-guaranteed, two-year deal with Philadelphia in mid-August and the rest of the league was left to wonder whether they made the right call.
Stroll into the office of Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox today and ask him if he’s still comfortable with the decision to turn his nose up at Vick. Last summer, Fox was banking on a turnaround year from the injury-riddled and turnover-prone Jake Delhomme. Coach Fox ultimately benched his veteran QB two months into the 2009 season. Carolina stumbled out of the gate as Delhomme threw just eight touchdowns to go along with 18 interceptions. Fox is currently in the final year of his contract and enduring through a 1-8 season. This upcoming Sunday, he wil send out his third different starting quarterback since September. Delhomme is now buried on the Cleveland Browns' depth chart. Vick is a frontrunner for league MVP.
Carolina, along with the rest of the NFL, may have a second shot at acquiring Vick 2.0 during the upcoming offseason. But the only way this happens is if Philadelphia lets him walk. At this juncture, that scenario seems highly unlikely. However, that doesn’t mean Vick won’t be offered contract opportunities beyond the City of Brotherly Love. An interesting subplot looms ahead: the inevitable reconciliation between Vick and the advertising community.
Federal felony charges cost Vick more than his freedom. He forfeited millions of dollars in endorsements when his morals were brought into question and his football career was put on hold. Nike, Rawlings, Coca-Cola, Powerade and Kraft are among the powerhouse companies that dumped Vick when his dog-fighting scandal erupted on a national stage. But business is business and as the quarterback continues to create headlines of the positive variety, companies are going to want a piece of the action. Nike actually signed Vick to a low-profile contract upon his reinstatement last September and it’s plausible that the sporting goods empire could return Vick to its marketing spotlight sometime soon. Recent ad efforts for Tiger Woods and LeBron James have proven Nike knows how to sell an effective comeback campaign for athletes who’ve lost public support. It’s going to be interesting to see who else jumps at the opportunity to make Vick their advertising front man. You can be sure PETA will be watching intently.
Seven games remain in the second and final season of Vick's contract with the Eagles. Philadelphia is a perfect 4-0 when Vick plays the entire game. Individually, he has played as flawless as a quarterback can, accounting for 15 total touchdowns without throwing an interception and leading the NFL in passer rating (115.1). If this trend continues, we are talking about a comeback story for the ages. Randall Cunningham and Doug Flutie – quarterbacks who resurrected their careers during second go-rounds in the league – captured national attention in the past. The big difference, however, is age. When Cunningham returned from a two-year hiatus to lead the 1998 Minnesota Vikings to a 15-1 regular season he was 35 years old. Flutie – who hadn’t thrown an NFL pass in nine years when he showed up to help the Buffalo Bills make two playoff runs in the late-nineties – was 36. Vick is 30 years old and – ironic as it may seem – has minimal physical wear and tear because of the two seasons he was forced to sit out. This isn’t just a second chance, it’s a second career.
Bad Newz Kennels is drifting further into the rear-view mirror with each touchdown Vick scores in Eagles green. Though the horrors of his past will always follow him, Vick sets himself further apart from his old image with each on-field performance and off-field interview. He appears to be genuinely rehabilitated from his time in prison and thoroughly humbled following his very public financial and professional downfall. Eight years ago – in a reality that must seem like a distant memory to Vick – he provided The New York Times’ Bill Rhoden with the following quote:
"I think about what's happened to me before I go to sleep at night. I sit up and think, why me? Why have I been put in this position? You know it's for a reason."
Vick may now be kept up at night for much different reasons, but the fact remains that he has put himself in a position to return to the NFL as a starting quarterback. This time, however, he may just be the best of the bunch.
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