Michael Vick "Flies Free" While Signing a Contract With The Eagles

Michael Vick is now a bird of a different feather.

According to ESPN, Vick has apparently signed a 2-year contract worth a miniscule $1.6 million for the first year.  The Eagles have a team option for the second year at $5.2 million.

While this may seem like a lot of money to the majority of Americans, its not much to brag about for Vick, who at one point was ranked on the Forbes Top 100 list for highest paid celebrities.  His endorsement contracts have at one point included the likes of: Nike, EA Sports, Coca-Cola, Powerade, Kraft, Airtran, and many others.

Had he not been found guilty of operating the dog fighting venture known as "Bad Newz Kennels, his contract signed with the Falcons would of been: $600,000 (2005); $1.4 million (2006); $6 million (2007); $7 million (2008); $9 million (2009); $10.5 million (2010); $13.5 million (2011); $13 million (2012); $15 million (2013); and $17 million (2014). He received an initial signing bonus of $7.5 million and would was eligible for additional bonuses worth $22.5 million.

However, Vick must consider himself very blessed to be free from prison and back to doing what he does best.

The former Atlanta Falcon was drafted as the first overall pick back in 2001, effectively becoming the first African American quarterback to do so.

Currently, he ranks third among quarterbacks for most rushing yards (3,859) in NFL history. 

His 1,039 rushing yards and 8.4 average yards per carry in 2006 marked NFL records for a quarterback in a single season 

He is the first quarterback in NFL history to tally more than four career 100-yard rushing games as he now has eight such contests in his career.

Despite all of his success, don't count on seeing too much playing time from Vick this year, since Philadelphia starter Donovan McNabb is calling the shots on the field. 

McNabb has been plagued by a bunch of recent injuries though, so anything could happen.

But regardless of what happens this year, I'm sure Vick will fly like an eagle , knowing that he doesn't have to share a cell with some guy named Big Pete.