Michael Vick Reportedly Must Reach Playoffs to Stay with Eagles in 2013

While Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid was put on the hot seat prior to the start of the 2012 season with an ultimatum from owner Jeffrey Lurie about making the playoffs, there is now another Eagles star on that same hot seat.

Veteran quarterback Michael Vick.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting on what league sources are saying about Vick’s future in Philadelphia:

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1. Unless Michael Vick leads Eagles to the playoffs, league sources believe that this will be the quarterback’s last season in Philadelphia.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 14, 2012"

With the Eagles sitting at 3-2 on the season and heading in the wrong direction because of poor ball security, this breaking news appears to be common sense.

As much as this could be a way for the team to use the media to get their star QB to realize his flaws and change, there is no question that if Andy Reid is fired after the season, Michael Vick would likely follow.

A new coach would want a fresh start; that would mean no Vick.

What It Means

Philadelphia fans are hoping that this news came from the team’s front office with the purpose of lighting a fire under their star QB. The problem is that this is a very drastic measure to be taking on a player as highly paid as Vick.

That $100 million contract is why Vick could find himself on the way out immediately after the season is over if the Eagles don’t make a serious playoff run.

Schefter is also reporting about the financial implications of getting rid of the pricey starter:

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If Vick is on the Eagles roster Feb. 6, 2013, three days after this season’s Super Bowl, $3 million of his nearly $16 million salary becomes fully guaranteed. But if the Eagles opt to release Vick before Feb. 6, 2013, they will not have any financial obligation to him and his contract will come off their salary cap without any charge.

"

With so many expectations from Philadelphia this year and so little results so far, starting fresh with a new coach and new quarterback looks like a very real possibility.

What’s Next?

While the organization appears to have made its decision on the matter, this burden is now on the shoulders of Vick; he must perform and make all this talk irrelevant.

If the Eagles make a deep playoff run, there is no doubt that Reid and Vick will be back next year to try again.

If they falter in the first round or miss the playoffs altogether, though, they’re both in deep trouble.

The tough NFC East won’t make their feat any easier, but the team must start in Week 6 by heading in the right direction, or else it will face a serious shakeup in the offseason.

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