With Super Bowl LI taking place this Sunday, one former NFL great is making headlines this weekend for another reason. After 13 seasons, Michael Vick, who’s one of the most dynamic and athletic quarterbacks in the history of the game, is calling it a career. Vick’s legacy may be mixed depending on how you ask, but his impact on the game is undeniable. While he is the modern-day inspiration for the term “dual-threat quarterback” (a quarterback who can get it done as both a passer and a runner), his career was nearly derailed by legal issues.
After a successful high school career at Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia, Vick received a scholarship to Virginia Tech University. Vick would start for two seasons in a Hokies uniform where he compiled a 23-2 record, led VT to the 1999 Big East Conference championship, threw for 3,299 yards, ran for an additional 1,299, and collected 38 total touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in both 1999 and 2000.
The Atlanta Falcons selected Vick first overall in the 2001 NFL Draft and he would stay in Atlanta through 2006. His career came to a screeching halt in 2007 when he pleaded guilty to his role in a dog fighting ring. He served 21 months in federal prison as a result, but after some mentoring by Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, the Eagles gave Vick his second chance.
He played for the Philadelphia Eagles (2009-2013), the New York Jets (2014), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (2015). After spending all of 2016 on the free agent market, Vick officially announced his retirement in an interview with ESPN on Friday. Now at age 36, Vick finishes his career with 22,464 passing yards, 6,380 rushing yards, he accounted for 170 total touchdowns, and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection.
He’ll be eligible for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in five years. –gabe salgado
