Michael Vick - Pro Football Rumors

This Date In Transactions History: Michael Vick

June 12th, 2019 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2009, the Falcons moved on from the biggest star in the history of their franchise. After unsuccessful attempts to trade Michael Vick, the Falcons cut finally ties with the quarterback.

With the ability to run as well as he could throw, Vick was one of the brightest young stars in the NFL. In six seasons, he earned three Pro Bowl nominations and led the Falcons to the NFC championship game twice. The first go-round in 2002 snapped a four-year playoff drought in Atlanta.

The trajectory of Vick’s career and the entire Falcons franchise changed in 2007 when Vick was indicted for his role in the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting ring. The Falcons pretty much made up their minds on Vick after the quarterback was sentenced to nearly two years in prison, but there were paperwork and cap issues to sort out. The Falcons successfully recovered ~$20MM of Vick’s $37MM signing bonus in ’07, but it wasn’t until the summer of ’09 that they formally terminated his nine-year deal which had the potential to be worth as much as $130MM.

The Falcons were able to move on from the Vick era after selecting Matt Ryan with the third overall pick in the 2008 draft. Vick, meanwhile, managed a second act in the NFL after landing with the Eagles. He was signed to be Donovan McNabb‘s backup in 2009, but he wound up as the team’s starting QB in 2010 after McNabb was traded and Kevin Kolb suffered a concussion. Vick went on to take the Eagles to the playoffs and eventually sign a six-year, $100MM extension with Philly.

Vick’s subsequent stints with the Jets and Steelers were less remarkable and he was unable to find an NFL home in 2016. In the summer of 2017 – on the eight-year anniversary of his release from Atlanta – Vick retired after signing a ceremonial contract with the Falcons.

Michael Vick To Coach In AAF

August 10th, 2018 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

A former franchise quarterback will add his name to the growing list of high-profile ex-NFL players, coaches and executives who will work with the Alliance of American Football.

Michael Vick‘s set to be affiliated with the AAF, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. Vick will call plays for the Brad Childress-coached Atlanta franchise.

Vick worked with Childress recently as well, serving as a coaching intern with the Chiefs during their 2017 training camp when Childress was on Kansas City’s staff. Vick last played for the 2015 Steelers. The former Falcons quarterback joins Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward and Jared Allen in attaching their names to the new venture.

At least one NFL team is also helping the AAF prepare for what figures to be an interesting talent-gathering period. The Bears provided the AAF’s Phoenix franchise’s GM, Phil Savage, a list of players to scout while he was at Chicago’s camp, Fowler notes. The AAF plans to primarily target players that don’t make NFL rosters this year.

Set to launch in February 2019, the eight-team league has its head coaches signed up and contract structure set at three-year, $250K agreements. The $83K-per-year contracts, which include out clauses in case an NFL team comes calling, are non-guaranteed and fall well short of NFL practice squad salaries (up to $129K for a 17-week season this season). But NFL practice squad spots will assuredly be more coveted real estate than AAF rosters next year. Although, incentives will be available in these AAF deals, and marketing and public appearances can trigger these bonuses, per Fowler. Set for a 2020 debut, the XFL is planning to pay players $75K per year, which will make for interesting bidding wars as these leagues attempt to find their footing.

NFL personnel have lamented the lack of a developmental league in the years since NFL Europe’s demise, and Fowler writes the AAF may be closer to the NBA’s G League, rather than serving as competition.

“Our objective is to take some of those people who can’t quite make it and make them into quality NFL players,” AAF exec Bill Polian said, via Fowler.

This Date In Transactions History: Michael Vick

June 12th, 2018 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2009, the Falcons moved on from the biggest star in the history of their franchise. After unsuccessful attempts to trade Michael Vick, the Falcons cut finally ties with the quarterback.

With the ability to run as well as he could throw, Vick was one of the brightest young stars in the NFL. In six seasons, he earned three Pro Bowl nominations and led the Falcons to the NFC championship game twice. The first go-round in 2002 snapped a four-year playoff drought in Atlanta.

The trajectory of Vick’s career and the entire Falcons franchise changed in 2007 when Vick was indicted for his role in the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting ring. The Falcons pretty much made up their minds on Vick after the quarterback was sentenced to nearly two years in prison, but there were paperwork and cap issues to sort out. The Falcons successfully recovered ~$20MM of Vick’s $37MM signing bonus in ’07, but it wasn’t until the summer of ’09 that they formally terminated his nine-year deal which had the potential to be worth as much as $130MM.

The Falcons were able to move on from the Vick era after selecting Matt Ryan with the third overall pick in the 2008 draft. Vick, meanwhile, managed a second act in the NFL after landing with the Eagles. He was signed to be Donovan McNabb‘s backup in 2009, but he wound up as the team’s starting QB in 2010 after McNabb was traded and Kevin Kolb suffered a concussion. Vick went on to take the Eagles to the playoffs and eventually sign a six-year, $100MM extension with Philly.

Vick’s subsequent stints with the Jets and Steelers were less remarkable and he was unable to find an NFL home in 2016. Last summer – on the eight-year anniversary of his release from Atlanta – Vick retired after signing a ceremonial contract with the Falcons.

With his playing days behind him, Vick has now set his sights on coaching. He’ll serve as the offensive coordinator of the Alliance of American Football’s Atlanta franchise when the league kicks off in February.

Michael Vick Working As Chiefs Intern

July 25th, 2017 at 6:13pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After expressing interest in a coaching career earlier year, former NFL quarterback Michael Vick has joined the Chiefs as a coaching intern, the club announced today.

“I would love to coach in the National Football League one day,” Vick told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com in May. “… At some point, I’d definitely love to help work with young quarterbacks and develop them and still compete, you know, with the team and with the coaches. It’s another way to chase a championship.

You know I’m not done. I’m not done by any means. You know I didn’t get the championship when I was playing, so, hey, maybe I’d get lucky one year, maybe fortunate enough to join the staff that may be good enough.”

The Chiefs are a logical starting point for Vick’s potential coaching career, as he enjoys a close relationship with head coach Andy Reid, who took a chance on Vick in Philadelphia following his release from prison. But it’s fair to wonder if Vick’s history with dogfighting will affect his chances of becoming a full-time coach. The NFL is quick to give second chances to talented players, but that level of forgiveness isn’t often extended to the coaching realm.

Vick, 37, confirmed this summer that he’s officially retired as an NFL player. He last played in 2015 as a member of the Steelers.

NFC Notes: Saints, Cowboys, Falcons

June 3rd, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Ben Levine

The Saints signed linebacker Alex Okafor to a one-year, $3MM deal earlier this offseason. While the money and opportunity were obviously alluring, the former fourth-rounder acknowledged that he was really entice by the opportunity to play with former college teammate, Kenny Vaccaro.

“He definitely stuck his neck out for me,” Okafor told the Associated Press. “It’s surreal. Not many guys get to go back and play with some of their college teammates that, I mean, are as close as we are.”

Having started 25 games between 2014 and 2015, Okafor played more of a reserve role for the Cardinals last season. However, the 26-year-old was working with the starters during OTAs, and he’s confident that he can still play a major role on the Saints’ defense.

“It’s just a fresh start and a great opportunity,” Okafor said. “I’ve been that guy before and I know I can be that here.”

That’s check out some more notes from around the NFC…

It’s sounding like the NFL’s investigation into Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott is winding down, and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says there are three possible scenarios that could play out next. For starters, the NFL could simply continue their investigation. They could alternatively determine that the running back “violated the Personal Conduct Policy,” and they’d presumably slap him with some type of punishment. The ideal route (at least in this impartial writer’s eyes) is the third option, which sees the NFL clearing Elliott and ending their investigation.
Thanks to Claire Z. Cardona of The Dallas News, details have emerged on Nolan Carroll‘s arrest last week for driving while intoxicated. Police pulled the Cowboys cornerback over at 2:20am after seeing him driving on the wrong side of the road. The 30-year-old told police that he hadn’t been drinking, and he noted that he “had not taken prescription medications or illegal drugs in the last 24 hours.” After getting arrested, Carroll “refused to voluntarily give a blood specimen.”
Now that he’s done playing, Michael Vick is turning his attention to a new pursuit in the NFL. “I would love to coach in the National Football League one day,” Vick told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “… At some point, I’d definitely love to help work with young quarterbacks and develop them and still compete, you know, with the team and with the coaches. It’s another way to chase a championship. You know I’m not done. I’m not done by any means. You know I didn’t get the championship when I was playing, so, hey, maybe I’d get lucky one year, maybe fortunate enough to join the staff that may be good enough.” The former quarterback is hoping to sign a one-day deal to retire with the Falcons, an indication that his career is officially over. He also confirmed to Schefter that he is done playing.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Folk, Eagles, Lions, Vick

May 28th, 2017 at 6:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite spending the entirety of the 2010s thus far with the Jets and being that franchise’s most accurate kicker, Nick Folk wasn’t especially surprised by his early-offseason release. The 32-year-old kicker is now with the Buccaneers, which would be surprising given their recent investment history at this position. Roberto Aguayo‘s struggles have opened the door to an ongoing competition, but Folk doesn’t believe he has to win it to be kicking in the NFL this season.

“If I kick well, I’ll be kicking here or somewhere else,” Folk said, via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. “I can’t worry about things I can’t control. If I kick the best I can, I’ll be just fine.”

Folk signed a one-year, $1.75MM deal with $750K guaranteed. Aguayo went 22-for-31 on field goals last season, putting the former second-round pick’s future in question. Auman offers that Folk’s experience as an 11th-year veteran could give him the edge if this competition is close, Aguayo’s status as a rare Day 2 kicker pick notwithstanding. As Auman points out, Folk winning the job would make it six straight years the Bucs will have deployed a different kicker.

Here’s the latest from the NFC.

Despite Michael Vick seeming to indicate he was in the process of coming to an agreement with Falcons management on a one-day retirement contract, the former Falcons Pro Bowler said Sunday he hasn’t spoken with anyone with the team about doing this yet. But he has it on the agenda. “I haven’t talked to anybody about it specifically,” Vick said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “It’s something that I’ve really been thinking about trying to get done. I was asked the question the other day is that what I want, and I said, ‘Yeah.’ … When I spoke to [Falcons owner] Arthur [Blank], we talked about various other things,” Vick said. “Like I said, [retiring as a Falcon] is something that can happen down the road, and I think we both know that.” Vick told McClure he still has a good relationship with Blank despite one of the most notorious exits from a team in league history. Blank did invite Vick and other former Falcon greats to the Georgia Dome on New Year’s Day for a celebratory ceremony. The 36-year-old added that the Falcons are where his “identity lies as a player.”
A hamstring injury limited Teez Tabor this week at Lions OTAs, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports. Tabor is not expected to start this year, Rothstein points out, but the second-round pick missing time during his developmental stage would bring a sharper learning curve. The Lions have 16-game starter Nevin Lawson as the likely frontrunner to open the season opposite Darius Slay, and they signed D.J. Hayden to a one-year deal.
Dorial Green-Beckham‘s Eagles roster spot is in trouble, Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com opines. After the Eagles outfitted Jordan Matthews with outside hired guns in Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, Zangaro expects Green-Beckham to fail to make the 53-man roster. Philadelphia’s wide receiver group also houses Nelson Agholor and rookie fourth-rounder Mack Hollins. The 24-year-old Beckham, once the No. 1 recruit in the country coming out of high school, played extensively for the Eagles last season but didn’t stand out. The former second-round Titans pick caught a career-high 36 passes but saw his yards-per-catch figure drop drastically, from 17.2 as a rookie to 10.9 in 2016. That said, Matthews, Jeffery and Smith could all be free agents after 2017 — Smith’s deal has option years — so retaining a formerly coveted player with two years left on his contract might be prudent from a long-term perspective.

Michael Vick To Retire As A Falcon?

May 27th, 2017 at 2:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Michael Vick admitted in February his NFL career was likely over, after having not played since the 2015 season, but the dual-threat quarterback plans to make it official soon.

Vick plans to retire after 13 NFL seasons and is in discussions to do so as a member of the Falcons on a one-day contract, the 36-year-old free agent told Jon Chuckery of CBS Atlanta.

While it would be interesting if Vick retires as a Falcon given the way the parties ended their relationship, it would officially bring to a close the career of arguably the most athletic quarterback in NFL history. Vick played six seasons with the Falcons before going to prison for his involvement in the infamous dog-fighting scandal, and after missing the 2007-08 seasons, returned and became a starter again with the Eagles. Finishing his career with one-year stints with the Jets and Steelers, Vick has not played since October of 2015.

“I think I got my fill,” Vick said (via Chuckery) of football, adding that he wants to commence this retirement with the Falcons “hopefully soon.”

Vick did return to the Georgia Dome on New Year’s Day for a celebratory ceremony honoring Falcons who played in the 25-year facility. But the former No. 1 overall Falcons pick saw his employment in Atlanta end with the prison sentence and NFL suspension.

Should Vick be done, he will finish with the most rushing yards from the quarterback position in NFL history, with 6,109. That’s over than 1,000 more than Randall Cunningham, second place on this list, compiled during his career. Vick rushed for 36 touchdowns and surpassed 1,000 ground yards in his final year with the Falcons.

As a passer, Vick would stand to finish with a 56 percent completion rate. The former No. 1 overall pick earned four Pro Bowl bids, the first three with the Falcons before a comeback 2010 campaign with the Eagles, and won two playoff games — in 2002 and ’04 as the Falcons starter.

Michael Vick Admits NFL Career Is Likely Over

February 2nd, 2017 at 7:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Quarterback Michael Vick hasn’t played a snap since the 2015 season, and he’s aware that his NFL career is likely finished, as Jonathan Jones of Sports Illustrated writes in a detailed interview with the controversial signal-caller.

“Yeah, I think it’s it,” said Vick, responding to whether his career is over. “I’m kind of looking at life from a different perspective now. I’ve got kids growing that I’ve got to be there for. I was committed in 2016 to giving it one more shot. I’m very content with my career and what I’ve been able to accomplish. I accomplished more than I ever thought I would. Listen, at the end of the day, through all the downs I played, I can say I won a game for every team that I played for, even though I only made three starts in New York and three starts in Pittsburgh. I made a difference, I’m content with my career and I’m ready to move forward in life.”

As Vick notes, he had previously maintained that he was interested in continuing his career during the 2016 campaign, but although he reportedly received bits of interest from NFL clubs, no deal ever materialized. Given that Vick intimated that his playing days would not extend past 2016, his announcement that his time in the NFL is over doesn’t come as a major surprise.

If this is the end, Vick will have concluded one of the more complicated NFL careers in recent memory. Selected first overall by the Falcons in the 2001 draft, Vick quickly revolutionized the quarterback position, becoming a dual-threat weapon capable of making plays with both his arm and his legs. Though his passing acumen was sometimes suspect (he never topped a 60% completion percentage during his time in Atlanta), Vick was a weapon on the ground, and in 2006 became the first quarterback to rush for more than 1,000 yards. Vick ranks first among quarterbacks with 6,109 career rushing yards, leading second-place Randall Cunningham by more than 1,100 yards in that regard.

Of course, Vick’s career came crashing down in 2007, when he plead guilty to dog-fighting charges and was indefinitely suspended by the NFL. Facing both federal and state charges, Vick ultimately served less than two years in prison, and was released in July 2009. Though Vick has rehabilitated his image in some corners, and has even become an animal rights advocate, his legacy will likely always be tarnished by his involvement in that gruesome ordeal.

After being released from incarceration, Vick latched on with the Eagles in 2009 (despite much public outcry), and the following year posted perhaps the best season of his career, passing for more than 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns against only six interceptions, adding another 676 yards and 10 scores via the ground game. Philadelphia lost in the Wild Card round in 2011, a game that marked the final postseason appearance of Vick’s career. After a few more middling and injury-marred seasons with the Eagles, Vick finished out his time in the NFL as a reserve for the Jets and Steelers in 2014 and 2015, respectively, managing six starts during those two campaigns.

NFC East Notes: Redskins, Cowboys, Vick

August 5th, 2016 at 5:47pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Although the Redskins’ lease at FedEx Field runs through 2027, they and the state of Virginia are already in “very serious negotiations” about building a new stadium, Gov. Terry McAuliffe told ESPN 980 on Friday (via J.J. Regan of CSN Mid-Atlantic). “We’re very aggressive,” revealed McAuliffe, whose state is the home of Redskins training camp and, as he noted, many of their fans and players. The Redskins have played in Landover, Md., since 1997, and McAuliffe expects both Maryland and Washington, D.C., to eventually make their own stadium pitches to the club. In the meantime, McAuliffe hosted a group of Redskins executives at the governor’s mansion Thursday, according to Regan. “If we can come up, be creative with a deal that works for everybody, then I think the team will be here,” said McAuliffe.

More on Washington and its chief division rival:

Free agent quarterback Michael Vick has indicated that he’d like to join the backup-needy Cowboys, but they have no interest in the 36-year-old, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).
Redskins rookie linebacker Steven Daniels suffered a torn labrum Monday and will undergo season-ending surgery, reports JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic. Daniels, a seventh-round pick from Boston College, was fighting for the team’s fifth inside linebacker spot prior to succumbing to the injury. Even with the loss of Daniels, the club still has no shortage of options at the position, as Roster Resource shows. The Redskins are now likely to waive Daniels with an injury designation and hope he goes unclaimed, thus enabling them to retain the 23-year-old and place him on IR, per Finlay.
Earlier Friday, scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas took a look at other members of Washington’s rookie class and pinpointed three draft picks who could make impacts this year.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Vick, Leary, McVay

August 5th, 2016 at 9:15am CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys guard Ronald Leary was looking for a trade earlier this offseason so that he could have an opportunity to start elsewhere. On Thursday, the veteran said that he still wants to be a starter, Drew Davison of the Star Telegram writes.

When asked if he feels he’s playing for 31 other teams right now, Leary said: “I’m playing football. Like I said, I’m just playing football. That’s all it is. “I know I’m a starter in this league, so I just approach it like I’m a starter. I make sure I’m ready for whatever comes my way. As far as all the trade talks and everything, that’s just going to happen.”

This week, we learned that the Saints have been pursuing Leary for some time, so it’s possible that Leary could get his wish. For now, however, the 27-year-old is buried behind starter La’el Collins.

Here’s more out of the NFC East:

So far, the Cowboys have not inquired on free agent quarterback Michael Vick, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. Vick, 36, has expressed his desire to play one final year and he says he wouldn’t extend his career past 2016. In other words, if no clubs come calling this year, he’ll retire.
For his part, Vick says that he hopes to hear from the Cowboys and would love the opportunity to serve as the No. 2 QB behind Tony Romo. “I just want to put the helmet on one more time and dedicate myself to football,” Vick told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Michael David Smith of PFT).
At the age of 30, Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay is on pace to become one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history, Andy Benoit of The MMQB writes. McVay also has the endorsement of quarterback Kirk Cousins. “I could be here a long time talking about Sean’s help in my development and his ability to call plays for our offense and lead our offense,” says Cousins. “In the 2015 offseason I was coming off a year when I had been benched halfway through and was going into the next year with the chance to really only compete as a backup. I was a little disappointed with that and Sean was a great encourager through that process, challenging me to stay the course. I think his belief in me and his support and his encouragement was what enabled me to eventually have the opportunities that I had.”
Eagles UDFA defensive end Connor Wujciak had shoulder surgery on Wednesday and is out for the season, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.