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Michael Vick

Vick at the 2006 Pro Bowl.
Atlanta Falcons
Career information
College:	Virginia Tech
NFL draft:	2001 / round: 1 / pick: 1
Career history
Atlanta Falcons (2001-2006) (suspended)
Career highlights and awards
College awards 3x Pro Bowl selection (2002, 2004, 2005) Full list of awards
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980 in Newport News, Virginia) is an American football quarterback whose rights are currently held by the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was suspended August 24, 2007 by the league indefinitely pending the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation.

Born into financially disadvantaged circumstances, Vick grew up in a public housing project. Becoming a stand-out high school football player, he attended Virginia Tech on a full scholarship. After nearly leading Virginia Tech to the national title, he elected to leave early and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons as the first overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft. He quickly became one of the highest-paid NFL players, earning lucrative commercial product endorsements. Enjoying great popularity with Falcons fans, Vick helped draw record attendance at the Georgia Dome.

In July 2007, Vick and three other men were charged by federal authorities with felony charges of operating an unlawful six-year long interstate dog fighting venture known as "Bad Newz Kennels" at Vick's 15-acre property in Surry County, Virginia. Vick was accused of financing the operation, directly participating in dog fights and executions, and personally handling thousands of dollars in related gambling activities. By August 20, Vick and each of the other three co-defendants had agreed to separate plea bargains for the federal charges. They are expected to each receive federal prison sentences between 12 months and a maximum of five years.

On August 24, hours after Vick filed his plea agreement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell indefinitely suspended Vick without pay, citing the serious nature of his admitted involvement in high-stakes gambling. His playing future in the NFL doubtful, the suspension also allows for the Atlanta Falcons to "assert any claims or remedies" to recover the $22 million dollar signing bonus from Vick's 2004 contract. Many companies have suspended or terminated his endorsements and withdrawn Vick-related products from sale.

On August 27, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted Vick's guilty plea; he will be sentenced on December 10. He faces a maximum of 5 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and 3 years of supervised release; prosecutors will ask the Judge to consider a lesser prison sentence (estimated 12-18 months) if Vick cooperates with the government as he has agreed. Additionally, separate Virginia charges against all four men and possibly others will be considered when a Surry County grand jury meets on September 25.

Early years

Teenage parents, public housing

Michael Dwayne Vick was born the second of four children to Brenda Vick (16) and Michael Boddie (17) on June 26, 1980, in Newport News, Virginia. Already of modest finances, beginning a family as unmarried teenagers added to the challenges for both Brenda Vick and Michael Boddie.

Brenda Vick obtained some public financial assistance and worked jobs at a local Kmart and driving a school bus part-time; her parents helped with the young family. Michael Boddie spent 2 1/2 years in the U.S. Army, then went through a succession of jobs, eventually finding steady work in the Newport News shipyards as a sandblaster and spray-painter, with his days starting early and ending after dark.

Michael and Brenda were married when their Vick was about five years old, by which time they had four children; Vick's older sister Christina ("Niki") and younger siblings Marcus and Courtney. Biographers state that the children elected to continue to use their "Vick" surname after their parents wed.

The family grew up living in the "Ridley Circle Homes", a public housing project in a financially depressed and crime-ridden neighborhood located in the East End section of the port city on the harbor of Hampton Roads. Located not far from the downtown area and the massive shipyard and coal piers, the "East End" of Newport News is often known in hip hop culture by the slang names "Bad News" or "Bad Newz".

In 2007, a newspaper article published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch written by reporter David Ress, painted for readers a vivid image of the neighborhood which he noted seemed to be "not much changed" by observations of local people almost ten years after Michael Vick left:

"950-plus units of public-housing projects crammed into an area of about a dozen blocks. Row after row of aging two-story apartment buildings, pressed close to the Interstate 664 bridge and looming black piles of coal. Close enough to the water for a whiff from the seafood packing plants but not for a fresh breeze. Just enough space for a walkway and clotheslines between the buildings, but not for a basketball court...not a dog in sight."

Ress interviewed one resident who said that there is drug dealing, drive-by shootings and other killing in the neighborhood, adding, "Plenty of good people, too." The man, kicking his foot in the dirt, commented "All this is nothing but sand down here, can't even grow grass...You're stuck in a little hole down here." For some, that resident told Ress, sports was a way out...a dream for many. And even if it isn't, sports is a way for children in the Newport News projects to stay out of trouble...his kids, ages 9 to 15, like to play at the basketball court four blocks away from their home, adding "gunfire sometimes sends them scampering back home."

In a 2001 interview, Michael Vick told the Newport News Daily Press that when he was 10 or 11 "I would go fishing even if the fish weren't biting, just to get out of there" and away from the violence and stress of daily life in the projects. His home at Ridley Circle was within walking distance of the Newport News Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism's public King-Lincoln Park, which offers salt water fishing near the point where the James River becomes part of Hampton Roads. The former Lincoln Park was renamed to jointly honor both U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King after the race riots in Newport News (and elsewhere across the United States) following Dr. King's assassination in 1968.

Even though the area is, by all accounts, troubled, several people interviewed were disbelieving that dog fighting was a local activity there. Kevin Brown, a minister who has organized a storefront after-school program called "Operation Breaking Through" told reporter Ress that in the low-income housing projects where Vick grew up, there isn't much money for buying and betting on dogs. Reverend Brown stated: "Folks in this community are just in survival mode...They don't have money for gambling." Another man interviewed by the newspaper, a 25-year-old who was hanging around with a group of a dozen friends by the Harbor Homes public housing project on Jefferson Avenue, seemed to agree. "There's no dog fighting around here," he told Ress.

Early amateur athletics

During the early years of his family, Michael Boddie's employment required a lot of travel, but he taught football skills to his two sons at an early age. Michael Vick was only three years old when his father, nicknamed "Bullet" for his blinding speed during his own playing days on the gridiron, began teaching him the fundamentals. He also taught younger brother Marcus.

As he grew up, Michael Vick, who went by "Ookie" back then, 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 local Boys and Girls Club. As a 7-year-old throwing three touchdown passes in a Boys Club league, his apparent football talents led coaches and his parents to keep a special watch over Vick.

Vick told Sporting News magazine in an interview published April 9, 2001: "Sports kept me off the streets...It kept me from getting into what was going on, the bad stuff. Lots of guys I knew have had bad problems."

High school career

Vick first came to prominence while at Homer L. 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. After Ferguson High School was closed in 1996 as part of a school building modernization program of Newport News Public Schools, Vick, as a junior, and coach Tommy Reamon both moved to Warwick High School, also in Newport News.

At Warwick High School, under Coach Reamon's tutelage, Vick was a three-year starter for the Raiders, passing 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.

Coach Reamon, who had helped guide Aaron Brooks from Newport News to the University of Virginia earlier, helped Michael with his SAT tests, and helped him and his family choose between Syracuse University and Virginia Tech. Reamon favored Virginia Tech, where he felt better guidance was available under Coach Frank Beamer, who promised to redshirt him and provide the freshman needed time to develop. Reamon sold Michael on the school's proximity to family and friends, and apparently following his advice, Vick chose to attend Virginia Tech and play football as a Hokie.

As he left the Newport News public housing projects in 1998, "on the wings of a college football scholarship," Michael Vick was seen in the Newport News (and close-by Hampton) community of the lower Virginia Peninsula as a "success story." In a story published in September 2000, while his son Michael was at Virginia Tech, Michael Boddie told the university's Collegiate Times: "Ever since he learned to throw a football, he's always liked throwing a ball...It's just in his blood." He added that his son had never gotten into trouble or ... involved with drugs, adding: "I like the way he has developed, not only as a player but as a person."

College career

After high school, Michael Vick attended Virginia Tech. In his first collegiate game as a redshirt freshman against James Madison 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. During the season, Vick led a last-minute game-winning drive against West Virginia in the annual Black Diamond Trophy rivalry game. He led the Hokies to an 11-0 season and to the Bowl Championship Series national title game in the 2000 Nokia Sugar Bowl against Florida State. 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. Against West Virginia in the Black Diamond Trophy game, Vick accounted for 288 total yards of offense and two touchdowns in a 48-20 win. The following week, Vick led the Hokies back from a 14-0 deficit against Syracuse at the Carrier Dome - where the Hokies had not won since 1986. Vick put the game away with a 55-yard run with 1:34 left.Robertson, Jimmy (2000-10-22). "Tech puts end to Carrier Dome hex". hokiesports.com. Retrieved 2007-08-29.

The following game against Pittsburgh, Vick was injured and had to miss the rest of that game, the entire game against Central Florida, and was unable to start against the Miami Hurricanes - the Hokies' lone loss of the season. Vick's final game at Virginia Tech came against the Clemson Tigers in the Toyota Gator Bowl, where he was named MVP of the game.

With the opportunity and huge financial benefits as an option, Vick elected to leave Virginia Tech after his redshirt sophomore season to become a professional football player. Aware that the rest of his family was still living in their 3 bedroom apartment in the Ridley Circle Homes, Michael Vick stated that he was going to buy his mother "a home and a car."

Professional 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 NFL career

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 bona fide 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.

2003-2004 NFL seasons

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 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.

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 at that time 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.

Recent NFL career

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. 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.

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. During the 2006 season, Vick connected on 204 of 388 passes for 2,474 yards with a career-high 20 touchdowns. He was also third in the league in rushes of ten or more yards with 44, behind only the Giants' Tiki Barber (50) and Kansas City's Larry Johnson (49). However, he had several incidents during the 2006 season, such as the obscene gesture incident, which ruined his sixth season in the league. In fact, he was denied a selection to the Pro Bowl, which would have been his third straight and fourth overall.

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).

Style of play

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 San Francisco 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.

Personal

Minor controversies and incidents

Between his selection by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft and early 2007, Vick was involved in number of smaller incidents or events:

• In 2007, Michael Boddie, his father, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that around 2001, Michael Vick was staging dogfights in the garage of the family's home in Newport News and kept fighting dogs in the family's backyard, including injured ones which the father nursed back to health. Boddie said his son had been urged to not engage in the activity, but continued. He stated "This is Mike's thing. And he knows it."

• In early 2004, two men were arrested in Virginia for distributing marijuana. The truck they were driving was registered to Michael Vick. The Falcons coach Dan Reeves recalled that he lectured Vick at that time on the importance of reputation, on choosing the right friends, on staying out of trouble for the good of his team. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Reeves as having told Vick: "You are an Atlanta Falcon...Whatever you do is going to be a reflection on all of us, not just you."

• On October 10, 2004, Vick and the other members of his party were at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport on their way to board an AirTran afternoon flight to Newport News, Virginia. While they were passing through a security checkpoint with Vick, a security camera caught Quanis Phillips and Todd Harris picking up an expensive-appearing watch (either a Rolex or a fake) which belonged to Alvin Spencer, a security screener. After watching the theft on a video tape, Spencer filed a police report. However, he claimed that Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, known as the Falcons "fixer", interfered with the investigation. It took six days for Spencer to get the watch back, according to the Washington Post.

• In March 2005 a woman named Sonya Elliott filed a civil lawsuit against Vick alleging she contracted genital herpes from Vick, in the autumn of 2002, 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. On April 24, 2006 Vick's attorney, Lawrence Woodward, revealed that the lawsuit had settled out of court with an undisclosed amount.

• November 26, 2006 - After a Falcons loss to the New Orleans Saints in the Georgia Dome in apparent reaction to fans booing, Vick made an obscene gesture at fans, holding up two middle fingers.He was fined $10,000 by the NFL for his obscene gesture, and agreed to donate another $10,000 to charity.

• January 17, 2007 Vick surrendered a water bottle which had a hidden compartment to security personnel at Miami International Airport. "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. Test results indicated there were no illegal substances in the water bottle and Vick was cleared of any wrongdoing. Vick announced that the water bottle was a jewelry stash box, and that the substance in question had been jewelry.

Bad Newz Kennels investigation

Beginning on April 25, 2007, widespread media publicity was drawn by discovery of evidence of unlawful dog fighting activities at a property he owns in a rural county in southeastern Virginia. As of August 17, the situation was under continued investigation at both the federal and local levels.

By July, some charges had already been made at the federal level, with four cooperating witnesses and three co-defendants having agreed to testify by mid-August. Others charges were anticipated at both federal and local (state) levels, according to statements by authorities. On August 20, Vick's legal team announced that he would plead guilty to a single felony count in federal court on August 27.

Although Vick's guilty plea was scheduled to be be formally made before Judge Hudson on August 27, details of Vick's plea agreement were made available when filed with the court on August 24. USA Today made copies available over the Internet in PDF files at:

• VICK PLEA AGREEMENT 8-24-2007
• VICK SUMMARY OF FACTS 8-24-2007

The federal plea agreements of the four men have no standing in the local case (involving state charges). As of August 26, additional separate state charges in Virginia were likely to be considered when a Surry County grand jury meets on September 25.

Federal laws

On July 17, 2007, Vick and three other men were indicted by a federal grand jury for felony and misdemeanor charges involving a 6-year long interstate dog fighting venture called "Bad Newz Kennels" and tens of thousands of dollars in gambling activities. Authorities contend that Vick's 15-acre estate in Surry County near Smithfield, Virginia was purchased and developed specifically for the "continuing criminal enterprise."

Even within a controversial and brutal blood sport, the federal allegations detailed exceptionally extreme violence involving execution of losing and under-performing dogs, including Vick's direct involvement, drawing widespread protests and expressions of public outrage regarding dog fighting and animal cruelty. Vick supporters and animal rights groups each waged public campaigns.

Following a detention hearing and arraignment on federal counts on July 26 in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Vick was released to bail under direct supervision of the U.S. District Court in Richmond pending a trial on November 26, 2007. The charges carried a maximum penalty of six years in prison. After his arraignment, corporate sponsors including Nike, Reebok, NFL Shops and trading card companies withdrew Vick-related products from retail sale.

In early August, co-defendant Tony Taylor submitted a guilty plea. The related plea agreement confirmed many details of the federal indictment, notably Vick's participation in the "continuing criminal enterprise." More seriously, Taylor named Vick as the primary financial source for the dogfighting operation. By August 13, Vick's other two co-defendants, Purnell Peace, 35, and Quanis Phillips, 28, had also agreed to also plead guilty under their own plea agreements.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on August 15 that a federal grand jury in Richmond was due to begin hearing new allegations against Vick stemming from the dogfighting case beginning the week of August 20. At Vick's arraignment, they had announced their intention to file a superseding indictment against him. Despite reports that Vick had until the morning of August 17 to accept a deal, Vick's lawyers denied that there ever was a deadline.

ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson suggested that Peace and Phillips' guilty pleas put Vick in a "legal checkmate," as their testimony, added to the other five potential witnesses the prosecutors already had, would make it very difficult (if not impossible) for Vick's legal team to mount an effective defense. He also suggested that the superseding indictment would include charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). This law carries much more severe penalties than those under the current indictment (20 years in prison per racketeering count, plus treble damages), and is also relatively easy to prove in court as it focuses on patterns of criminal behavior rather than specific criminal acts. A source close to the investigation told the (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot that federal prosecutors were seriously considering RICO charges in any superseding indictment. A RICO indictment would have also made it very difficult for Vick to pay his attorneys, as the prosecutors would have almost certainly asked Hudson to freeze Vick's assets; this provision was put in place to ensure there is something to seize in the event of a guilty verdict. Speculation surrounding RICO charges may have come from the specific "continuing criminal enterprise" language in the original indictment and in Taylor's plea agreement. A key element of proving racketeering is the existence of a "criminal enterprise," and the gambling alleged in the case would have qualified as an indictable offense under RICO since it took place on several occasions within the 10-year window required by the law.

According to the Journal-Constitution, Vick's legal team began talks with federal prosecutors regarding a possible plea agreement. Initially, they sought a deal that would have dropped the conspiracy charge (a felony) and allow Vick to plead guilty to one or both counts related to the dogfighting operation itself (both misdemeanors). However, the Times-Dispatch reported that prosecutors offered a deal in which Vick would plead guilty to the conspiracy charge. The negotiations were prompted by the co-defendants' guilty pleas, which a spokesman for Vick's legal team said that they "didn't see ... coming."

As the weekend progressed, sources familiar with the negotiations told ESPN that Vick was still considering all of his options and wanted as much information as possible before deciding to accept a plea deal. One sticking point, according to one source, was avoiding state charges (see below).

On August 17, Peace and Phillips appeared before Judge Hudson at the U.S. District Court in Richmond. They entered their guilty pleas, plea agreements, and related allocutions. They also agreed to testify if the government requests it from them. Phillips' bail was revoked due to failing a drug test.

Hudson told Peace and Phillips that because of the "victimization and execution of pit bull dogs" described in court filings, they would face an "upward departure" from sentencing guidelines. The aggravating factors will be taken into consideration at sentencing, which means they could face harsher punishments at their sentencing on November 30.

The documents filed with the court and obtained by the news media under the provisions of the U.S. Freedom of Information Act provided confirmation of portions of that contained in Taylor's earlier plea agreement and also gave more detail of co-defendant Vick's roles. Notable points reported by the news media include:

• Vick "almost exclusively" funded the dogfighting operation known as Bad Newz Kennels, but he did not share in the proceeds.

• Vick, Taylor, Peace and Phillips posed for a photo with Jane, a pit bull dog, before a fight against a female pit bull dog owned by Lockjaw Kennels from North Carolina. The fight happened in North Carolina in the spring of 2003.

• Peace, Phillips and Vick killed about eight dogs that failed to fight well after testing sessions in April 2007. Peace's summary of facts reads in part: "All three participated in executing the dogs. Peace agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of Peace, Phillips and Vick."

Copies of some of the documents were made available by the Newport News Daily Press at:

• Summary of Facts from Quanis Phillips' plea agreement (PDF, 12 pages)

• Summary of Facts from Purnell Peace's plea agreement (PDF, 12 pages)

• Purnell Peace's plea agreement (PDF, 12 pages)

On August 20, Vick's lead attorney, Billy Martin, announced that over the weekend, Vick reached an agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty. Terms were not disclosed, but it has been assumed that he has agreed to plead guilty to the conspiracy charge. In return, Vick would have to cooperate with the government, and submit a detailed allocution regarding his role in the operation--including the specific methods used to kill the dogs and any role in the high-stakes gambling. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, but based upon sentencing guidelines, he would be likely to be sentenced to only 12 to 18 months in federal prison. Vick is expected to appear in court on August 27th. However, Judge Hudson would not be bound by any sentencing agreement; he has a reputation for handing down long jail terms. He would also consider the results of an investigation by federal probation officials, who would submit a pre-sentencing report that only Hudson would view. As mentioned above, Hudson indicated in his statement to Peace and Phillips that he found the facts of the case particularly aggravating.

Munson said that Vick's plea was in essence, a "surrender" because they kept getting bad news from the prosecutors, and the NFL refused to entertain offers to negotiate a deal that would ensure he could return to the league (see below). He also said that Vick could be looking at a sentence of 24 months or more if he can't convince Hudson that he will be a good citizen once he gets out of prison. Another ESPN legal analyst, Roger Cossack, speculated on an August 20 edition of SportsCenter that Vick could face a sentence closer to the maximum, given Hudson's reputation.

On August 24, Vick filed his guilty plea and allocution with the federal court in Richmond. As expected, he pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to operate an interstate dogfighting ring. He admitted to providing most of the financing for the operation itself, as well as participating directly in several dogfights in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland. He also admitted to sharing in the proceeds from these dog fights. He also admitted that he knew his colleagues killed several dogs who didn't perform well enough. However, while he admitted to providing some of the money for gambling on the fights, he denied placing any side bets on the dogfights. He also denied actually killing any dogs himself.

As part of his plea deal, Vick will have to cooperate with the prosecution, as well as forfeit the Surry County property to the government. Unless he is pardoned by the President, Vick will be considered a convicted felon for the rest of his life.

Local (state) laws

Although the federal investigation and charges placed drew most publicity in July and August, 2007, the local investigation and consideration of charges under violations of state laws were also continuing. Because Virginia is organized as a Commonwealth state, local jurisdictions are legally part of the state government. In this context, local and state have the same meaning, but are very separate legally from federal authorities and courts. The federal charges outcome and any plea bargain Vick might reach with federal prosecutors would have no official standing in the local case. Double jeopardy concepts would not apply to state and federal overlapping cases.

On July 24, Surry County Sheriff Harold D. Brown stated that he felt certain state indictments for additional charges in Virginia would be returned by a local grand jury during its September session. However, no individuals have been named as target(s) to date. Until August 17, there had also been no indication of how many charges might be presented to the grand jury in Surry County. Over fifty dogs were seized, in addition to carcasses recovered, and a number of the interstate fight events, all with attendant gambling activities, were allegedly hosted at Vick's Surry County estate.

On August 17, Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald Poindexter told WVEC-TV, the ABC affiliate in Hampton, that the admissions contained in the federal plea agreements filed by Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips "a road map to indictments in Surry County." The plea agreements implicate all four men, Peace, Phillips, Taylor and Vick in both dog fighting and the killing of dogs. It had been noted in earlier media reports that one of the agreements states that eight dogs were killed jointly by Peace, Phillips and Vick in April 2007 (prior to the April 25 search).

Poindexter told WVEC that he's looking at two felony counts: dogfighting and killing of a companion animal. The maximum sentence in Virginia for each charge is five years. "We believed we had evidence and this is the first time someone's admitted to it. It's sad and outrageous. It's gruesome," he added.

Later in the day, Poindexter told the Journal-Constitution that "yes, indeed, we will prosecute" Vick and others involved for animal cruelty, dogfighting and other offenses. Poindexter called the methods detailed in Peace and Phillips' statements "startlingly offensive and demanding of prosecution." He intends to present evidence to a Surry County grand jury on September 25. ESPN reported that Vick could face up to 40 years in prison under state law. His legal team was reportedly trying to get any state charges dropped if he accepted the plea deal offered by federal prosecutors, even though they have no official standing in the local case. While it isn't clear whether Vick will serve any resulting prison term concurrently or consecutively with his federal sentence, Munson believes that Vick will serve any sentence concurrently.

League and Falcons reaction

The NFL initially announced that it would not take action against Vick unless he was found guilty. Commissioner Roger Goodell, however, said through his personal assistant that Vick would face "significant discipline" if found guilty. Vick himself personally apologized to Falcons owner Arthur Blank on July 19, 2007. In subsequent meetings with Goodell, Vick adamantly denied any role in the dog fighting operation.

However, on that same day, according to reports from ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Len Pasquarelli, as well as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; the NFL, NFL Players Association and Falcons officials began what was described as an "urgent" collaborative effort to persuade Vick to miss the 2007 season. Mortensen said on several ESPN programs on July 20 sources familiar with the talks told him that no one was comfortable with Vick playing for the Falcons until the case was resolved. Among other things, Mortensen said that there was a possibility that if Vick played in 2007, it could make potential jurors think he wasn't taking the case seriously and that he needed to "lose this season in order to play 10 more."

Finally, on July 23, after days of public statements, protests, and demands for Vick's suspension, Goodell ordered Vick not to report to Falcons training camp while the league investigated the matter. That night, Mortensen said on ESPNEWS that Goodell acted because Blank was ready to suspend Vick for the first four games of the 2007 season--the maximum permitted under the collective bargaining agreement for conduct detrimental to the team.

This was confirmed by the Falcons the next day. In a press conference, Blank said that he and general manager Rich McKay had already drafted a letter to Vick regarding the four-game suspension. He also said that Vick should give up any thoughts of playing while the case is pending, even if it meant missing the entire season. Blank and McKay both said they were shocked at the allegations. Blank said that the Vick portrayed in the indictment "is certainly not the player or the person that I knew the last six years," while McKay said that "there was no indication, no signs, no whispers" that Vick could have been involved in this type of activity. However, even without the Falcons' opposition to Vick's return pending the resolution of the case, the terms of his bail do not allow him to leave the commonwealth of Virginia until the trial.

Although it was initially thought that Vick's legal team would have to negotiate a deal with the NFL that would allow his return at some point,Goodell rejected any offers to meet with Vick's representatives. He also refused to say what the league would do if Vick admitted to certain facts under a plea agreement. On August 17, it was reported that Goodell stated he wants the legal process to run its course before he rules on Vick's future in the league.

After Vick's co-defendants pleaded guilty, Blank said that their statements of fact "don't match up with what the league was told (by Vick), even our organization and certainly not what was said to the commissioner." He told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio that he expected Vick to plead guilty. He also said that once all the facts were in, the Falcons intended to "move very decisively."

After Vick's plea agreement was announced, the NFL issued its own statement in which it "totally condemn(ed)" the conduct detailed in the charges and said that Vick was admitting to behavior that was "inconsistent with what (he) told our office and the Falcons." Mortensen said on SportsCenter that Vick's initial denial of any involvement was by itself a violation of the Personal Conduct Policy.

On August 24, only hours after Vick filed his guilty plea with the court, Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely without pay. In a letter to Vick, Goodell said that Vick had admitted to conduct that was "not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible." He also said that merely providing money for gambling purposes "violate(d) the terms of your NFL Player Contract," even if he didn't place any bets himself. He also informed the Falcons that they were now free to recover part of Vick's signing bonus.

Technically, Vick is a first-time offender under the league's Personal Conduct Policy. First-time offenders usually have to undergo an evaluation and, if required, counseling. They would also be subject to a fine and/or a suspension without pay. However, Goodell had been expected to hand down a stiffer punishment because of Vick's involvement in gambling across state lines. The NFL, like most professional sports leagues, does not allow its players to be involved in any form of gambling activity, even if it is legal. Under NFL policy, a player can be banned from the league for life for gambling or associating with gamblers, even if he is a first-time offender.

Blank issued a statement strongly supporting Goodell's decision, calling Vick's admitted behavior "incomprehensible and unacceptable for a member of the National Football League and the Atlanta Falcons." He also said that he hoped Vick would "use this time, not only to further address his legal matters, but to take positive steps to improve his personal life." In a press conference on August 27, Blank said that the Falcons have no immediate plans to cut Vick (though they theoretically could have done so immediately, as Goodell ruled that Vick had breached his contract), but they do intend to recover $22 million of his signing bonus. McKay sent a demand letter to Vick's representatives earlier in the day. Vick must remain on the roster while the Falcons pursue his bonus money. Blank did not rule out the possibility of Vick returning, nearly all media reports suggest that Vick will never play another down for the Falcons again.

ESPN's John Clayton speculated in an August 17 column that if the Falcons do sever ties with Vick, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for Vick to catch on with another NFL team. The Canadian Football League is not a realistic option for Vick should he be unable to get reinstated to the NFL; it recently instituted a policy barring suspended NFL players from playing in the CFL, and it is nearly impossible for a convicted felon to get a Canadian visa.

Vick statement

Following his court appearance on August 27, Vick made a statement at a press conference at the Omni Richmond Hotel in Richmond, Virginia, in which he apologized to many of the people he was "not honest and forthright" with, as well as to children who looked up to him, as well as denounced dog fighting.

I want to personally apologize to Commissioner Goodell, Arthur Blank, coach Bobby Petrino, my Atlanta Falcons teammates, you know, for our -- for our previous discussions that we had. And I was not honest and forthright in our discussions, and, you know, I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself to say the least.

I want to apologize to all the young kids out there for my immature acts and, you know, what I did was, what I did was very immature so that means I need to grow up. I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player. I take full responsibility for my actions.

Dogfighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it.

I offer my deepest apologies to everybody out in there in the world who was affected by this whole situation. And if I'm more disappointed with myself than anything it's because of all the young people, young kids that I've let down, who look at Michael Vick as a role model. And to have to go through this and put myself in this situation, you know, I hope that every young kid out there in the world watching this interview right now who's been following the case will use me as an example to using better judgment and making better decisions. Once again, I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to. So I got a lot of down time, a lot of time to think about my actions and what I've done and how to make Michael Vick a better person.

Endorsements

During his NFL career, Vick became a spokesperson for many companies; his endorsement contracts have included Nike, EA Sports, Coca-Cola, Powerade, Kraft, Rawlings, Hasbro and AirTran. His contract along with his endorsements had Vick ranked 33 among Forbes' Top 100 Celebrities in 2005. However, two years later, he was not even listed on the most recent Forbes Top 100 Celebrities. Even before the animal cruelty case surfaced in 2007, Vick's corporate status had deteriorated, apparently due to extensive bad press. Among the negative incidents cited by observers of this was his middle finger gesture to Atlanta football fans in 2006. His endorsement deals with at least six companies (Coca-Cola, EA Sports, Kraft Foods, Hasbro and AirTran) have expired over the past few years and have not been renewed.

AirTran

AirTran did not renew their relationship on May 8, 2007. This was after both his missed appearance on Capitol Hill on April 24 and the police search at his property near Smithfield, Virginia later the same week, when the dog fighting investigation became widely known, but well before the most damaging allegations and the federal indictments.

AirTran has made no public statements regarding the reason for ending the endorsement relationship with Vick. However, ESPN reported on May 31 "especially stinging to AirTran was that Vick's publicist blamed the airline when the quarterback known for his quickness failed to arrive in Washington to speak before Congress. AirTran said Vick had ample opportunities to get to his destination on AirTran but chose not to."

Impact of publicity, federal indictments

On July 18, 2007, following extensive media coverage of the content of Vick's 18-page federal indictment of July 17, Neil Schwartz, director of marketing for SportScanInfo, which tracks sporting goods sales, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "I just think it's going to be really hard for Michael to somehow repair his public image unless these charges are totally false... American people are incredibly forgiving, but the heinous nature of what went on here may be a whole different ballgame." The same article also quoted Bill Sutton, a professor of sports business at the University of Central Florida: "You won't find him anywhere" in advertising or marketing in the near future.

MSNBC quoted David Carter, founder of the Sports Business Group, a Southern California-based provider of strategic sports-marketing services: "Number one, animal cruelty is something no one will tolerate. Number two, you have the underbelly of possible gambling. Number three, you have the strength of advocacy groups. They aren't going away."

Product marketing reactions

According to the Virginian-Pilot in a July 19, 2007 article, Vick's biggest marketing deal is with Nike. Later on the same day, USA Today reported that Vick's legal troubles have prompted Nike to suspend the release of its latest product line named after him, telling retailers it will not release a fifth signature shoe, the Air Zoom Vick V, "this summer."

On July 27, Nike announced it "has suspended Michael Vick's contract without pay, and will not sell any more Michael Vick product at Nike owned retail at this time." However, the company said it had not terminated the contract, as animal-rights activists had urged.

On July 27, Adidas announced its Reebok division would stop selling Vick football jerseys and the NFL said it had pulled all Vick-related items from NFLShop.com, including Falcons jerseys customized with Vick's name and number.

Within days, Donruss, a trading card company, has decided to pull Vick's card from any future 2007 releases, according to Beckett Media, which covers the collectibles industry. Upper Deck, another trading card company, took similar action.

On July 31, St. Louis-based sporting goods manufacturer Rawlings, which used Vick's likeness to sell merchandise and modeled a football using his name, ended its relationship. The same day, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Dick's Sporting Goods and Sports Authority stores, part of a major chain, have also stopped selling Vick-related goods.

On August 24, Nike terminated his contract upon the filing of Vick's Plea Agreement and Statement of Facts with the federal court in Richmond.

Media reaction

The allegations of cruelty to animals put Vick under the media microscope. Among other editorial cartoons both criticizing and lampooning Vick's troubles, one by Gary Varvel postulates him on trial with a jury composed of well-known cartoon dogs.

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.

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.

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 to Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, and then failed to show-up for another seat booked for him later that evening. On Tuesday morning, he did not attend his scheduled appearance at the congressional breakfast where he also was to be honored for his foundation's work with after-school projects in Georgia and Virginia. Vick's mother, Brenda Vick Boddie, accepted an award from the Afterschool Alliance on her son's behalf.

It was announced in June 2007 that the "Michael Vick Football Camp" to be held at Christopher Newport University in Newport News was canceled for the summer 2007 session because of "scheduling issues." The university on Warwick Boulevard in Newport News is partially located on the site of the former Homer L. Ferguson High School (which closed in 1996), the school where Vick began his football fame. He also canceled participation in another football camp to be held at the College of William and Mary. According to that university, his place was to be taken by Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell.

On June 22, 2007, a charity golf tournament featuring Vick, intended in part to raise scholarships in memory of Virginia Tech's shooting victims, was rescheduled for September. The tournament at Kingsmill Resort & Spa had been set to begin on June 29, and a reason for the change was not announced. The tournament is the latest in a series of Virginia appearances either canceled or delayed since Vick's name surfaced in a dog fighting investigation.

Public impact upon community youth, leaders

"In the world of professional sports where allegations of illegal drug use, domestic violence and even murder often go ignored, allegations that Vick ran a kennel from his Atlanta home at which dogs were forced to fight to their deaths and poor-performing animals were strangled or drowned have infuriated the public." (ABCNEWS)

The revelations of Michael Vick's activities with the Bad Newz Kennels drew widepread negative public reactions, but possibly hurt nowhere more than in his old neighborhood. Until August 24, there could be some comfort in disbelief. In the aftermath of Vick's guilty plea agreement, in Newport News, mentors and others working with underprivileged youth sought to identify lessons to communicate to those who had seen him as a role model.

"It's difficult, because Mike (Vick) is someone who we held up as doing it right," Bernard Johnson told the Newport News Daily Press. Johnson, who has coached kids, including Vick, in the Boys and Girls Club football program for 28 years, said the lesson to kids now is all about responsibility and accountability.

Vernon Lee, co-founder of the Peninsula All-Star Football Camp, said the Vick situation should be a wake-up call "for anyone coming into contact with a young person...we can try to plant the seeds necessary so that this doesn't happen again...not assume that there is a direct correlation between athleticism and real-life skills."

Lee said a key part of Peninsula All-Star Football Camp is a semi-private session in which parents and coaches are ordered out of the auditorium while college and professional athletes tell the high school players how to get their personal lives in order. In the session, the campers are warned about potential dangers from parties to drugs to girls to friends.

Noting the reality that Vick is likely to do prison time, the Boys and Girls Club's Johnson told a reporter:

"Now we explain that you can't depend on somebody else to take care of your responsibility...and sometimes money will get in the way of right and wrong."

See also

• List of career achievements by Michael Vick

References

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71. Associated Press (2007-06-18). "Vick pulls out of youth football camp". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
72. Associated Press (2007-06-22). "Charity golf tournament rescheduled for September". ESPN. Retrieved 2007-06-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
73. http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=3507738&page=1
74. http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-now-squires-au24a,0,496743.story
75. http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-now-squires-au24,0,6785858.column
76. http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-now-squires-au24a,0,496743.story

External links

• Official Website
• Michael Vick at AtlantaFalcons.com
• Michael Vick at NFL.com
• Michael Vick at ESPN.com
• Template:Pro-football-reference
• Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.

Template:MaddenNFL-Athlete

• 1980 births
• American Christians
• American criminals
• American football quarterbacks
• Animal cruelty incidents
• Atlanta Falcons players
• Living people
• National Conference Pro Bowl players
• National Football League first overall draft picks
• People from Newport News, Virginia
• People from Virginia
• Virginia Tech Hokies football players
• Convicted felons