Michael Vick’s banner NFL season has garnered the attention of the leader of the free world. While vacationing in Hawaii with his family, President Barack Obama called Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and thanked him for giving Vick a second chance after the embattled star served 18 months in prison for dogfighting.
According to a report by Peter King of Sports Illustrated, Obama told Lurie that it’s never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail and he was happy that the franchise decided to give Vick a second chance after such a major blunder.
After Vick was released from prison in the summer of 2009, most NFL teams were reluctant to sign him. However, with encouragement from Donavan McNabb, the Eagles took a chance by signing Vick to a two-year contract.
Vick has since become the Eagles starting quarterback and has led the team to the playoffs with several awe-inspiring performances. Vick has also used his prominence to have frank talks with youngsters about his tribulations and the importance of understanding the consequences of animal cruelty. –a.r.
