Michael Vick

Michael Vick

No. 7
Career history
Atlanta Falcons
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. He is the older brother of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Marcus Vick, and the second cousin of former New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders quarterback Aaron Brooks.

At 6'-0" and 215 pounds, the left-handed passing Vick is one of the smaller quarterbacks in the league but is regarded by many pundits and fans as being one of the NFL's most exciting players due to his speed, agility, and arm strength. However, Vick's detractors have pointed to his mediocre passing statistics and ratings, as well as his inability to lead his team to consistent playoff appearances.

Early life

Michael Vick was born to Brenda Vick (16) and Michael Boddie (17) on June 26, 1980, in Newport News, Virginia. His parents married five years later, 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 mother's name as their surname.

The children grew up living in Ridley Circle, a public housing project in a financially depressed and crime-ridden neighborhood located in the East End section of the city. Their mother worked jobs such at a local Kmart and driving a school bus part-time.

Vick's father had a job which required a lot of travel, but taught football skills to his sons at an early age. Vick was only three years old when his father, nicknamed "Bullet" for his blinding speed during his playing days on the gridiron, began teaching him the fundamentals.

Vick 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 Hampton Roads Boys and Girls Club.

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. In 1996, as a junior, Vick and coach Tommy Reamon both moved to Warwick High School, also in Newport News, after Ferguson High School was shut down. At Warwick High School, Vick was a three-year starter where he passed 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.

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. 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. 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 saw limited action due to injury. Vick's final game at Virginia Tech came in the Toyota Gator Bowl, where he was named MVP of the game.

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

NFL 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 career and succuess

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 bonafide 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.

Injury and return to success

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 to knock the Bucs out of the playoff race 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.

Recent years

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. Vick’s 2,412 passing yards moved his career totals to 9,031 in 2005, which bumped him into fourth place all-time in Falcons history. 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. With eight wins in 2005, Vick moved into third place on the Falcons all-time career wins list for quarterbacks. Only Steve Bartkowski (55) and Chris Chandler (34) have won more games for the team.

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

Vick entered the 2006 season ranked sixth in winning percentage among current NFL starting quarterbacks (.618). 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. He also connected on 204 of 388 passes for 2,474 yards with a career-high 20 touchdowns.

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). He was also third in the league in rushes of ten or more yards with 44, which trailed only the Giants' Tiki Barber (50) and Kansas City's Larry Johnson (49).

NFL awards

• 2003 Best NFL Player ESPY Award
• 2005 Galloping Gobbler

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 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. (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.

Vick scrambles past a defender at the 2006 Pro Bowl

• 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).
• 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)

NFL career statistics

Year	Passing							Rushing
	Comp	Att	Yds	TD	Int	Rating		Att	Yds	Avg	TD
2001	50	113	785	2	3	62.7		31	289	9.3	1
2002	231	421	2,936	16	8	81.6		113	777	6.9	8
2003	50	100	585	4	3	69.0		40	255	6.4	1
2004	181	321	2,313	14	12	78.1		120	902	7.5	3
2005	214	387	2,412	15	13	73.1		102	597	5.9	6
2006	204	388	2,474	20	13	75.7		123	1,039	8.4	2
Total	930	1,730	11,505	71	52	75.7		523	3,859	7.3	21

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.

Adding to Vick's exciting image, he stated after the 2004 season that he wouldn't cut his hair until he won a Super Bowl.

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 overexuberant 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.

Controversy

Ron Mexico lawsuit

In March 2005 a woman named Sonya Elliot 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 revealed that the lawsuit had settled out of court with a undisclosed settlement.

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 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 "Oh 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. 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, 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.

Federal and state dog fighting investigation

As of June 8, 2007, a large house and surrounding property Vick owned and where his 26-year old cousin Davon T. Boddie had been residing in rural Surry County, Virginia were part of a continuing police investigation for possible operation of an illegal dog fighting ring, subsequent to evidence discovered under a search warrant following two narcotics arrests of Boddie within a week in the Virginia Peninsula cities of Newport News and Hampton (each about 20 miles away from the Surry County property) in April.

According to ESPN, during the April 25 search of Vick's home and property on Moonlight Drive in the southeastern portion Surry County, police discovered a large number of animals, and evidence which police felt indicated dog fighting, including a dog fighting pit. With the help of animal control officials from several localities, police removed 66 dogs, 55 of them pit bulls, and seized equipment and some physical evidence that could be associated with dog fighting.

During the subsequent weeks, Surry County Sheriff Harold D. Brown and Commonwealth's Attorney (local prosecutor) Gerald G. Poindexter, repeatedly responded to media inquiries with assurances that they were proceeding carefully with the investigation and any prosecutions and that any one "whoever they are" who evidence indicates had acted unlawfully will be charged. According to the Code of Virginia (3.1-796.124), illegal activities relating to dog fighting (or supporting it) are felony offenses under Virginia laws. Other Virginia criminal statutes also prohibit gambling, which has also been alleged against Vick by a ESPN source. Poindexter stated on May 31 that he had evidence that "placed Vick at dog fights."

On June 7, Davon Boddie, who now lives in Newport News, conducted interviews with reporters from a local television station and a newspaper in front of the Hampton nightclub where he was arrested. During this, he alleged a conspiracy dating from 2001, stating the amount of marijuana he admits having on April 20 was not justification for the search warrant, an opinion local prosecutors from several different jurisdictions took strong exception to, according to the Newport News Daily Press on June 8. Boddie accused authorities of being dishonest regarding the quantity of drugs and whether he was in possession of a firearm when arrested on April 20, claiming that the authorities will do anything to make "him and his peeps [people] look bad."

Following weeks of increasing reports in the news media of Vick’s involvement and new evidence and witnesses reportedly coming forward to authorities, according to USA Today, on June 7, federal and Virginia State Police have apparently launched their own the investigation, and began an additional search of the property. Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Poindexter told USA Today that an official of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of the Inspector General notifying him by telephone about 3 PM EDT on June 7 also advised him that the local authorities were free to continue their own ongoing investigation. News media reports on WAVY-TV at 11 PM that evening placed Poindexter at the Vick home and property, apparently observing the search. Authorities had no additional statements at that time, according to a reporter at the location.

Timeline

• April 20, 2007 - Vick's cousin, Davon T. Boddie, 26, is arrested for narcotics in Hampton on charges of distribution of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute outside a nightclub. He gave Vick’s property address on Moonlight Road in southeastern Surry County as his own place of residence when he was arrested.

• April 25, 2007 - Police conducted a search of Vick's home and land in Surry County where Boddie had been living as part of an ongoing investigation of narcotics trading. Police discovered what they considered evidence of dog fighting. With the help of animal control officials from several localities called to the scene, they removed 66 dogs, 55 of them pit bulls, and seized equipment and some physical evidence that could be associated with dog fighting.

• April 27, 2007 - ESPN reports that, even though Vick denies this, neighbors have reported seeing Vick in town from time to time and clerks at a nearby store have reported Vick buying nutritional supplies for dogs. Authorities told the news media that, although some equipment could be used in legitimate dog-breeding, there also was a "pry bar" used to pry apart a dog's jaws in either dog fighting or just simply dogs fighting (he did have over 60 of them), and bloodstained carpeting on the floor of a room inside the home above the garage (which could be from dogs giving birth).

• • Appearing at a news conference to announce his participation in the NFL Quarterback Challenge, Vick described himself as an unwitting victim of relatives living on his property in Smithfield, VA. He blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity. (Vick's property on Moonlight Road is located in a rural section of southeastern Surry County a few miles west of the Isle of Wight County town of Smithfield.)

• Late April/early May - Within a few days of the search and seizure of dogs and potential evidence, Vick listed the house and property with a real estate brokerage. Assessed for real estate taxation at over $700,000, the asking price was reportedly approximately 50% of the assessed value. Within a few days, the house was under a sales contract.

• May 24, 2007 - Poindexter said he still didn't have solid evidence linking Vick to dog fighting because there were no eyewitnesses who say they saw dog fighting at the home. He said he was proceeding very carefully with this case; Poindexter had another dog fighting case a few years back and lost it because of an illegal search.

• May 25, 2007 - Poindexter said he was confident charges will be brought in the case but can't yet say who will be charged.

• May 27, 2007 - ESPN reported that a confidential source, identified as a man who has been involved in dog fighting for over 30 years, claimed that Vick was one of the "heavyweights" in the dog fighting world, and was poised to tell ESPN's Outside the Lines about the time in 2000 when his dog squared off against a dog owned by Vick. The man claimed that Vick would bet large dollar amounts on fights, up to $40,000.

• May 31, 2007 - Poindexter told ESPN that he recently received a call from a person he deemed credible and that the informant gave him information regarding the ongoing investigation. "We have people who are volunteering to make those allegations," Poindexter said. Asked whether there was evidence that placed Vick at dog fights, Poindexter said, "Yes...If he did anything, he won't get away with it, if we can prove it. But it's not easy," Poindexter said. ..."we're moving carefully, slowly...to build a strong case."

• • In the same news item, it was reported that ESPN's sources, said to be close to law enforcement, cautioned that, based on the current evidence, it might be difficult to successfully prosecute Vick. "There is probably enough there to bring a bill [of indictment]," one source said, "but how some of [the evidence] would play out at trial, or if it even reached a trial ... I just don't know. These kinds of prosecutions are tough. There are some holes, definitely, and that's why [investigators] are digging for more information. You want more than just smoke. You're always looking for the smoking gun."

• June 6, 2007 - Newport News Daily Press newspaper reported that Sheriff H.D. Brown had an investigator (deputy) interviewing additional witnesses who had come forward and determination of credibility was in progress. Brown, a 28 year veteran of law enforcement in Surry County, 16 years as sheriff, repeated prior statements that he felt pressure to rush, but "doing it right" was his priority.

• June 7, 2007 - Boddie states in interviews with television and newspaper reporters that he was the victim of a conspiracy by authorities, and that his fourth amendment rights were violated by the search of the Surry property after his arrest on April 20 in Hampton (and another several days earlier in Newport News) because of the smaller amount of drugs he admits having [than claimed by authorities]. Speaking to the Newport News Daily Press, Boddie also apologized for his role in the dog fighting investigation. Boddie wants NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to know it was his fault, not his cousin's, for everything going on at the Surry County home. "I want him to know that everything going on is really my fault," Boddie told the paper. "They're just making Michael look like something he's not. I want to apologize to Atlanta Falcons fans for what's going on. It's a lot of drama."

• • The same day, USA Today and WAVY-TV each reported the federal officials and Virginia State Police were executing a federal search warrant at the Surry property, apparently seeking the buried bodies of dogs which may have been killed during dog fighting activities.

• June 8, 2007 - Poindexter said he was "absolutely floored" that federal officials got involved, and that he believes he and Sheriff Brown handled the investigation properly. "What is foreign to me is the federal government getting into a dogfighting case," Poindexter said. "I know it's been done, but what's driving this? Is it this boy's celebrity? Would they have done this if it wasn't Michael Vick?" He went on to say "There's a larger thing here, and it has nothing to do with any breach of protocol." "There's something awful going on here. I don't know if it's racial. I don't know what it is."

• • Also on June 8, Boddie interview of June 7 published in Daily Press alleges he thinks conspiracy by authorities may date to when Vick's house was built in 2001. In the same article, local prosecutors from several jurisdictions disagreed with Boddie's contention that a smaller amount of marijuana he alleges he had during his April 20 arrest would have invalidated the search warrant executed on April 25. Boddie indicated that he had retained an attorney. However, no attorney appeared to be present as he admitted to reporters from the news media (television and print) his possession of narcotics, pledged his loyalty to cousin Vick, who he stated he has not recently spoken with directly, and denied any knowledge of the 66 dogs found at his home, with the exception of his French poodle.

• • Contacted by the Daily Press, Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney Anton Bell stated that dog fighting evidence turned up during the search following the narcotics arrest was obtained legitimately, a position Surry prosecutor Poindexter had earlier taken.

• • • NOTE: Wikipedia editors clarification about search warrants: Surry's prosecutor Poindexter and Sheriff Brown were earlier quoted in multiple media stories regarding the former's reservations about the wording and legal concerns, not for the April 25 search, but for another search warrant obtained later by Surry authorities, one which was not executed and expired in early June. Neither elaborated on the specifics of those concerns. Poindexter has said he and Brown were in the process of obtaining a revised search warrant when the search of Vick's Surry home and property on June 7 by federal (USDA) agents and Virginia State Police authorities took place. That search was conducted under a separate federal search warrant through the U.S. Attorney's office.

Contract

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 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.

Endorsements

Vick is a spokesperson for many companies; his endorsement contracts include Nike, EA Sports, Coca-Cola, Powerade, Kraft, Rawlings, and Hasbro. His contract along with his endorsements had Vick ranked 33 among Forbes' Top 100 Celebrities in 2005. However, on May 8, 2007, Vick's contract with AirTran Airways expired and was not renewed; he had been a pitchman for the airline since 2004.

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.

The Michael Vick Football Camp to be held at Christopher Newport University in Newport News was cancelled for the summer 2007 session because of "scheduling issues." The university on Warwick Boulvard in western Newport News is partially located on the site of the former Homer L. Ferguson High School, which closed in 1996, where Vick began his football fame.

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 ssgt., USAF Angela Geist from Lawrenceville, GA, 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 Tidewater, Virginia area 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) and Aaron Brooks (ex-New Orleans Saints and ex-Oakland Raiders player).

See also

• List of NFL first overall draft choices
• List of largest sports contracts
• Madden NFL Cover Athletes
• Madden Curse

External links

• Official Website
• The Vick Foundation
• Michael Vick at AtlantaFalcons.com
• Michael Vick at NFL.com
• Michael Vick at ESPN.com
• Template:Pro-football-reference
• Vick's statement in wake of tragedy at alma mater Virginia Tech
• Vick meets with commissioner