Philadelphia a Good Fit for Michael Vick on a Personal Level

It was reported late on Thursday night that Michael Vick, the embattled former quarterback working to make his way back into the National Football League, was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles.

The contract is worth over one million dollars for the first year, and includes an option for a second year, which would pay Vick $5.2 million.

That is certainly a far cry from the 10 cents an hour he was earning working in construction or during his prison term in Leavenworth, Kansas and will undoubtedly draw the ire of detractors from animal rights groups, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The concerns of these contingents are not without merit, but fortunately for Vick, this country celebrates giving people—especially those who possess the talent-level of an NFL athlete—second chances. Think of this as Vick’s one and only second chance.

Based on his comments at a press conference held by the Eagles on Friday, Michael seems contrite. He is also fully aware of the multiple steps required to not only perform at a high level on the field, but also to repair a horrendous public image that is tarnished by the heinous act of killing dogs.

There are other elements of this story to consider besides how he will perform on Sundays.

At this point, the story involves more than just Vick. Other players now include Roger Goodell, Tony Dungy and one of the league’s premier franchises in Donovan McNabb’s Philadelphia Eagles.

Roger Goodell, the Commissioner of the NFL, had already endorsed the idea of a team extending a contract offer to the former Falcons quarterback. By doing so, Goodell not only showed that he believed in the effectiveness of Vick’s transformation, but he also made a move that could help to largely define his legacy.

I understand that he only replaced Paul Tagliabue a few short seasons ago, and thus there are still a large number of decisions that await him in the coming years that could alter the way he is viewed by NFL fans and the public.

His recent action regarding Donte Stallworth’s drunk driving tragedy is one example of another high profile case in which his decisions will help shape his commissionership. And of course, while people are hoping that Vick can remain out of legal trouble in every way going forward, should he do anything questionable, Goodell will be heavily criticized.

Another person involved who is staking a large amount of his reputation on the future behavior of Michael Vick is Tony Dungy. The former Colts head coach is one of the most respected men in football circles, both for his knowledge of the game and for his high moral standards.

I think he honestly cares about Vick’s rehabilitation and believes in that idea of second chances. I also believe that he looks at Vick as a reclamation project.

Dungy is now a new analyst for NBC’s Football Night in America, and whether or not you think he should be playing a role in the Vick story given his new job, he has perspective regarding his involvement.

Yes, journalists are supposed to be impartial, but take Rush Limbaugh and Keith Olbermann (a Football Night in America colleague of Dungy’s) as examples A and B of partisanship in the political realm. The same thing happens to a lesser extent (generally with less real-world impact) in the sports media.

Maybe there is a valid argument to be made for why Dungy should not be advising Vick. But let’s be clear: this is larger than the level of success Vick enjoys on the field. Tony Dungy cares about Michael Vick as a human more so than as an athlete.

Of course he wants to see Vick return to his version of the office on Sunday afternoons, but without overhauling Vick the person, no team would have been willing to bring in Vick, the former league star.

Tony Dungy has invested a lot of himself in Vick’s long road back to the NFL, but without his mentorship, I’m confident that there would have been virtually no possibility of No. 7 playing anywhere in 2009.

Thirdly, the Philadelphia Eagles have a lot at stake with Michael Vick on their roster. They haven’t won any championships of late with Donovan McNabb under center. In fact, since the inception of the Super Bowl in 1967, the Eagles have not captured a title.

Nonetheless, Andy Reid’s squad is probably one of the best teams for Vick, to ensure that he stays out of trouble. Outside of the New England Patriots, who have taken in troubled players such as Randy Moss, Philadelphia is the second best option.

Regardless of how they will utilize Vick on the field, the culture surrounding the team is much like the city in which it plays: tough, gritty and disciplined. Those are good qualities in the NFL.

Furthermore, Andy Reid, who will be able to relate to Vick’s plight given the issues within his family, is a hard-working head coach who runs his team with a high level of structure—something Vick needs at this point in his life.

They will have a role developed for him, probably by the opening week of the season, and this will allow for the team’s continued success as well as Vick’s betterment.

Of course, there will most likely be a large number of detractors, such as Howard Bryant of ESPN, and whoever wrote this extremely tasteless headline in the Philadelphia Daily News. No, we cannot bring back the dogs Vick killed and that will forever remain a tragedy of epic proportions.

But the key now is for Vick to make good on his promise to work closely with the Humane Society, which is endorsing his new venture into the league. By following through on this, Vick and the Humane Society—a group that is much more respected than PETA—can help to avoid further atrocities committed against animals in the future.

I’m not saying the doubt expressed by some in the media is unwarranted, but the skeptics only make it more difficult for Vick to make the positive societal impact everyone is seeking from him.

I’m rooting for Vick. I won’t buy his Eagles jersey, but Philadelphia has now given him a chance to prove that he is a changed man. Whether the team wins the Super Bowl in February is irrelevant.

If Vick can honor his commitments this season—to the Humane Society, Roger Goodell, Tony Dungy and the Eagles—he will have made big strides toward rectifying his image and his second stint in the NFL should be viewed as a success. Let's hope he doesn't squander what is his last chance at being a productive part of society.