Mike Vick News: Pro Sports Daily

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November 13

Indianapolis Star

"NFL players often go elsewhere through free agency to "get paid." Some just need a new home after a team decides to move on, or they return to an old one in hopes of recapturing past glory. But changes of scenery don't always work out for the best. Here are a few players who fall into that category this season: Where next, T.O.?When Dallas released controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens in the offseason, Buffalo jumped at the chance to add a player who could help a sputtering offense. What have the Bills received for a one-year, $6.5 million investment? Owens has 23 catches for 281 yards and one touchdown. He also has run for a score. Not exactly numbers befitting a six-time Pro Bowl ..."

Vick brings alarming talent

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November 12

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Cowbell. Every so often, you might notice one clanging in the stands, but those aren't the ones that players talk about hearing. Rather, it's the sound going off in their heads and the ears of their helmets when someone or something different enters the fray - i.e., the signs of an impending gadget play or a quarterback suddenly deployed at wide, wide receiver. This week's Chargers opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, have a player who sets off all sorts of alerts and warning signals. "We'll be calling 'Cowbell' for him," linebacker Shaun Phillips said. "That means, sound the alarm, because there's a playmaker on the field.""

Vick reaffirms he's 'just happy to be playing'

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November 12

Camden Courier-Post

"Michael Vick on Wednesday clarified comments about his role on the offense that he made after Sunday's 20-14 loss to Dallas. Vick said he's "just happy to be playing football" and isn't upset about his role on the team. He later added that if he could do it all over again, he'd still sign with the Eagles despite reports that other teams -- including Buffalo -- were interested in bringing him in to play quarterback. "I'm not going to say this again, and this is probably the last time I'm going to address this situation, I'm just happy to be playing football," he said. "Like I said two months ago, two years ago I wasn't even playing football and didn't know if I had a future in the NFL. So, ..."

Vick tries to explain comments about next season

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November 12

Philadelphia Daily News

"MICHAEL VICK has been around.He knows: With honesty, comes risk.When Vick last week honestly answered a question about his future in the NFL, his response could have been received several ways. To some, he seemed disgruntled.He insisted yesterday that he is perfectly gruntled. "I know what I said. I didn't come across as being upset or disgruntled about anything," Vick said yesterday.Perhaps he didn't mean to come across that way, but, when NBC released excerpts from its pregame show, his meaning was, at best, unclear.Vick was quoted as saying it would be "an everyday struggle" to return to Philadelphia next season and replicate his current role as a backup to Donovan McNabb and a weapon ..."

Vick wins ruling on bonuses

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November 11

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Michael Vick hasn't had many - some would argue any - big plays on the football field since joining the Eagles, but he had a great day in court yesterday.A federal appeals court ruled against the NFL and for Vick in a case that means the quarterback won't have to repay more than $16 million in roster bonuses he received from the Atlanta Falcons.An Eagles spokesman said Vick would be available today to answer questions about the court victory. Attempts to reach Vick's agent, Joel Segal, were unsuccessful.The ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in Minneapolis affirmed an earlier decision by Judge David Doty, who said Vick had already earned the bonus money from the ..."

Appeals court backs ruling on Vick bonuses

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November 11

Philadelphia Daily News

"A federal appeals court is backing the judge who ruled against the NFL and let quarterback Michael Vick keep more than $16 million in roster bonuses from the Atlanta Falcons.The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Minneapolis yesterday affirmed Judge David Doty's order saying Vick had already earned the bonuses before his dogfighting conviction, so the money wasn't subject to forfeiture.Vick served 18 months in prison and signed with the Eagles this summer.Doty has long handled matters arising from the NFL's collective bargaining agreement. After Doty ruled in the Vick bonus case, the NFL accused him of bias and sought to end his oversight of its contract with the players union.The ..."

Whitner says Buffalo Bills should pursue QB Vick

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November 10

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

"If Tony Dungy believes Michael Vick would be a good fit in Buffalo, Donte Whitner is on board. Confident Vick can regain his once-dynamic form, the Bills safety said Monday he would encourage his team to pursue Vick if the Eagles decide to release Vick in the offseason. In noting he was a proponent of the Bills pursuing Vick since before he signed with Philadelphia in August, Whitner said he's more convinced Buffalo can use him next season. Without specifically naming Bills starter Trent Edwards or backup Ryan Fitzpatrick, Whitner noted that players — himself included — are replaceable. "If you're not getting the job done, then they're going to bring in other players. It's a competition ..."

Whitner likes idea of playing with Vick

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November 10

Buffalo News

"Reaction was mixed in the Buffalo Bills locker room regarding Tony Dungy's comments that quarterback Michael Vick could be playing here next season. Safety Donte Whitner enthusiastically endorsed the idea. "If we had the opportunity to get Michael Vick and it came down to that I believe yes [he would be a fit]," Whitner said after practice Monday. "I believe that he's a great football player. Right now he's not in the swing of things with all the time off. But with a full offseason of conditioning and dealing with the right people helping him to get his mechanics back in line I believe he can pick up where he left off. "I believe Michael Vick would be a good fit and I would encourage ..."

Vick to Bills would be a flawed plan

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November 10

Buffalo News

columnist Jerry Sullivan

"Column as I see 'em: No offense to Tony Dungy, one of the most respected men in football. But if he thinks Buffalo would be a good fit for Michael Vick, I have two words for him: no thanks. Sure, the Bills need help at quarterback. They kicked the tires when Vick got out of jail for dogfighting. What they don't need is a washout who couldn't read defenses or make accurate throws before he went to jail. His days as a viable NFL starter are over. What are the Bills, some halfway house for fallen stars? How's that Terrell Owens thing working out? The Bills need a solution, not a sideshow. They should find their next QB the conventional way in the draft. Let some other team play the sap on ..."

Is Michael Vick the Redskins QB in 2010?

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November 9

Washington Examiner

"On the NBC pregame show "Football Night in America," former Bucs and Colts coach and now studio analyst Tony Dungy said that the Redskins among the teams who could be considering Eagles backup QB Michael Vick for the 2010 season. Dungy: "I told Michael to just worry about this year. It's technically up to Philadelphia. If they want him back, he has to stay there. If they don't, there are some teams looking for quarterbacks – Cleveland, St. Louis and Washington. But I think a dark horse is Buffalo ... They talked originally. There was some communication there. I think that could be a good spot." At least four NFL insiders have told me that if Philly were to let Vick go, he would get a long ..."

Bills mixed on Vick-as-QB talk

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November 9

ESPN.com

"The Buffalo Bills went into the bye week with plenty of questions. They emerged Monday with another they couldn't have foreseen. Would Michael Vick be a fit? Vick's adviser, former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, revealed on Sunday night the Bills showed interest in acquiring Vick's services after the controversial quarterback served 18 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring. Asked if Vick would be a good fit for the Bills, receiver Lee Evans replied "Probably not. I love him as a player and everything that he's done for the league, but I don't think it'll be anything we'll aggressively go after." Bills safety Donte Whitner didn't conceal his excitement over the ..."

Vick on return to Birds: 'It would be hard'

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November 9

Philadelphia Daily News

"Michael Vick said playing for the Eagles next year would be "an everyday struggle" and said he "won't be a Wildcat guy." The comments came in an interview with Bob Costas that aired last night during NBC's pregame show before the Eagles hosted Dallas. The Eagles signed Vick to a $1.6 million contract for 2009, with a team option for the second year at $5.2 million. "It would be hard," Vick said of returning to the Eagles, according to excerpts released by NBC. "It would be an everyday struggle. But I would have to take that time to hone my skills and get better. I'm excited about the opportunity I have moving forward whether it's with Philadelphia or another team." However, after last ..."

Tony Dungy sees Buffalo Bills as 'dark horse' to sign Michael Vick

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November 9

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

"Tony Dungy says Michael Vick could potentially wind up in Buffalo, which he says previously discussed signing the quarterback. Dungy has served as an adviser to Vick since the Super Bowl-winning coach retired from the Colts after last season. Now a commentator for NBC, Dungy confirmed during the pregame show Sunday night before Philadelphia hosted Dallas that the Bills and Vick "talked originally" when Vick was searching for a team after serving 18 months in federal prison for running a dogfighting ring. The Eagles signed Vick to a $1.6 million contract for 2009, with a team option for the second year at $5.2 million. But he has played sparingly. "I told Michael to just worry about this ..."

Pierce: Vick a threat despite playing little since return

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October 31

New York Post

"As familiar as the Giants are with the Eagles, they haven't seen them with Michael Vick. Antonio Pierce (listed as probable with an ankle injury) said he isn't sure what to expect from the versatile quarterback. When asked to compare Vick's play now with what it had been before he was forced from the league for his role in a dogfighting ring, the linebacker said, "That is tough. I don't think that is fair to Vick." Pierce also said he hasn't seen enough of Vick in his return to form a judgment, but knows he remains a threat. "He has only been on the field maybe 20-30 times this season," Pierce said of Vick, who was suspended to start the year and has thrown just six passes and run nine ..."

Vick's production low, but he sees progress

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October 28

Camden Courier-Post

"Five games into the season, it's hard to believe Eagles coach Andy Reid had envisioned such little production from his Wildcat offense led by controversial signing Michael Vick. Vick, the Eagles' alleged X-factor, once again didn't make any significant impact on the offense in Monday night's 27-17 win against the Redskins at FedEx Field. Vick completed his only pass, a five-yard connection to Brent Celek across the middle from the Wildcat formation, and carried the ball three times for nine yards -- all nine coming on his final carry. LeSean McCoy was the team's other Wildcat option and also yielded modest results from the formation. On eight plays with either Vick or McCoy taking snaps, ..."

Eagles using Vick sparingly

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October 24

Philadelphia Inquirer

"In the month since Michael Vick's controversial return to the NFL, his involvement in the Eagles' offense has decreased with each game. The quarterback-multipurpose player has gone from being on the field for 11 plays with the first team in his first game to five in the second game to just two in the Eagles' 13-9 loss at Oakland on Sunday. While there is reason to believe that Vick will be used more often when the Eagles face Washington on Monday night - how could he not? - there is some confusion as to why the team would risk so much in acquiring the notorious player if it intended to use him only sparingly. Vick, however, has had no problems with his limited role. "The Michael Vick from ..."

Vick's impact minimal through 5 games

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October 22

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Goeff Mosher

"When the Eagles signed Michael Vick in August, there were those who bought into coach Andy Reid's assessment that Vick could be used advantageously in the offense and others who were skeptical. So far, the skeptics are winning out. More than one quarter into the season, Vick hasn't scored a touchdown, thrown a touchdown pass, thrown a pass longer than one yard or broken off any runs longer than 11 yards. The Wildcat role Vick once said he "invented" and Reid said would be the X-factor that gives the Eagles another playmaking option has hardly factored into the team's 3-2 record. Since bringing in Vick, Reid has conveniently maintained that the former Falcon is first and foremost a backup ..."

For an impact player, Vick having little impact

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October 22

Camden Courier-Post

"When the Eagles signed Michael Vick in August, some bought into coach Andy Reid's assessment that Vick could be used advantageously in the offense. Others were skeptical. So far, the skeptics are winning. More than a quarter of the way into the season, Vick hasn't scored a touchdown, thrown a touchdown pass, thrown a pass longer than one yard or broken a run longer than 11 yards. The wildcat role Vick once said he "invented" and Reid said would be the X-factor for the Eagles has hardly factored into the team's 3-2 record. Since bringing in Vick, Reid has maintained that the former Falcon is first and foremost a backup quarterback who also has wildcat potential, which is why the head coach ..."

Vick says he never looked at Oakland

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October 16

San Francisco Chronicle

""It really didn't come up," Vick told Philadelphia reporters this week in advance of Sunday's game against the Raiders at The Coliseum. The issue came up after former Colts coach Tony Dungy, who advised Vick upon his release from prison, said on NBC's "Football Night in America" on Sunday that he told Vick not to sign with the Raiders because it was "not a good place," referring to ownership. Vick said, "I just think if I would have went there, there just would have been a lot of quarterback controversy." He got that right. Second-year starter JaMarcus Russell is the high-paid face of the NFL's worst offense in scoring, total yards and passing yards. If vocal fans scream for backup Bruce ..."

Vick: No Oakland ill will

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October 15

Contra Costa Times

"Former NFL coach Tony Dungy said earlier this month that he advised Michael Vick against signing with the Raiders once the quarterback was released from prison and reinstated by commissioner Roger Goodell. On Wednesday, Vick addressed Dungy's remarks and clarified the issue. "When I got released from prison, I didn't care where I would have played," Vick told Philadelphia media. "Coach Dungy wanted me to be in a place where I was going to be protected, and I just wouldn't have a lot of pressure on me. That's what he meant." For the record, the Raiders never showed any interest in Vick, who eventually signed with the Eagles. Coach Tom Cable said he and the Raiders were content with their ..."

Vick gets his reps under center

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October 12

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Eagles coach Andy Reid made an interesting decision after his team built a big enough lead to send in the reserves yesterday at Lincoln Financial Field.Instead of inserting Kevin Kolb, the No. 2 quarterback who had started the previous two games in Donovan McNabb's absence, Reid turned over the offense to Michael Vick with just under six minutes left in the Eagles' 33-14 win over Tampa Bay."I wanted to give [Vick] some game reps there," Reid said. "Kevin has had the game reps. Michael needs that."Vick was clearly happy to have a chance to run the offense for the first time this season."Being under center is more natural for me," Vick said. "That is what I like to do. That's what I enjoy. ..."

It could be one-and-done for Eagles' Vick

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October 9

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Paul Domowitch

"It's still too early to tell where this whole thing with Michael Vick and the spread-option offense (aka Wildcat) is going to go.One place I can tell you with absolute certainty that it's not going to go, though, is into next season. Well, the offense might stick around, but Vick's not going to be here.From the beginning, the unwritten understanding between the Eagles and the prodigal quarterback was that this was a 1-year-and-done marriage.Yes, the team does have an option to keep Vick for a second season at the hefty price of $5.6 million. But unless something drastic happens, like, say, both Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb get abducted by aliens, they have no intention of exercising that ..."

Nike, Vick do not have agreement

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October 1

ESPN.com

"Contrary to his agent's claims, Michael Vick doesn't have a sponsorship agreement with Nike. Nike denied it had signed Vick to a sponsorship contract in a statement released to CNBC on Thursday. "Nike does not have a contractual relationship with Michael Vick," Nike spokesman Kejuan Wilkins said in the statement to CNBC. "We have agreed to supply product to Michael Vick as we do a number of athletes who are not under contract with Nike." On Wednesday, agent Joel Segal commented on the supposed Nike deal but wouldn't reveal details of the agreement. "Mike has a long-standing, great relationship with Nike, and he looks forward to continuing that relationship," Segal said Wednesday. Nike, ..."

Eagles rough up the Chiefs 34-14

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September 28

Kansas City Star

"The Michael Vick experiment didn't work for Philadelphia. It didn't need to The Eagles beat the Chiefs 34-14 today in an overcast contest between two mismatched teams. Philadelphia looked like a Super Bowl contender. Kansas City looked like a team that has no idea how to win. Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb and running back LeSean McCoy devoured the Chiefs, racking up more than twice as many yards as the Chiefs. All that considering Philadelphia was missing two of its most reliable weapons, quarterback Donovan McNabb and running back Brian Westbrook. Both were listed as inactive before today's contest. In Vick's first game back, the former Pro Bowl quarterback played quarterback and lined up ..."

Eagles didn't need any tricks from Vick to beat Chiefs

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September 28

Kansas City Star

"Michael Vick saw the Chiefs coming. Neither he nor the Philadelphia Eagles were fazed. The Chiefs spent part of the previous week preparing for the unusual options the Eagles offense had at its disposal - the wildcat offense, an eligible Vick three seasons removed from the dazzling performances that made him a superstar, and a slew of versatile players and creative formations if all else failed. But the thing that hurt the Chiefs most was two backups who didn't wilt under the pressure of being headliners. Quarterback Kevin Kolb, starting in place of the injured Donovan McNabb, passed for 327 yards and two touchdowns. And LeSean McCoy, the rookie running back who played in place of Brian ..."

Vick gets some action in return

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September 28

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Eagles QB Michael Vick didn't dazzle in his return to the NFL. But the main thing for him was that he just was back. Vick, who at this time last year was doing time on his dogfighting conviction, appeared in his first regular-season NFL game since 2006 and spent most of the contest on the sideline. He was on the field for 11 plays, seven of them handoffs. He carried once for 7 yards and threw two incompletions. "Just to go out there and get the jitters out of the way and get knocked around a few times was good," Vick said. "It will be a totally different feel (in the future) because I don't feel all eyes will be on me." He said that while the national anthem played shortly before ..."

Vick faces a financial challenge

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September 27

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Football fans are not the only ones waiting to see Michael Vick get on the field today for the Eagles.The bankrupt backup quarterback, once the highest-paid player in the NFL, is expected to be in uniform for a regular-season game for the first time since 2006. Vick now owes a lot of people a lot of money after his 18-month prison stint.His creditors will be watching to see if Vick is anywhere near the pre-prison form he showed when he was named to the Pro Bowl three times."I'm an Eagles fan, now," said Ross Reeves, a Virginia attorney who represents unsecured creditors in Vick's bankruptcy filing.In 2004, Vick signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons that could have paid him $130 ..."

Vick says he thought he'd be starting

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September 26

New York Daily News

"On Sunday, when Michael Vick makes his much-anticipated return to the NFL for the Eagles, all eyes will be on whether the once fleet-of-foot scrambler has lost a step. Thursday the quarterback proved he has no problem running his mouth. In an interview with CBS that will air Sunday, obtained in advance by USA Today, Vick said he believed he would be a starting quarterback when he returned to the NFL. "This is not the exact scenario I thought would play out," Vick told CBS. "I thought I'd be playing with a team and actually starting." Vick hasn't played in a regular-season game since Dec. 31, 2006, but with Donovan McNabb sidelined with a rib injury, the Eagles will give Kevin Kolb the ..."

Not everyone is wild about the Wildcat

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September 26

Philadelphia Inquirer

""It's going to revolutionize the game." That's what Jon Gruden said on Monday Night Football about the Miami Dolphins' Wildcat offense. Revolutionize the game.Maybe, maybe not, but there's no question the Wildcat is the NFL's latest infatuation. Everybody's talking about it. No one seems to know exactly how to defend against it. Some people love it, some purists hate it, and aside from the Dolphins, no one has come close to perfecting it.And now that Michael Vick is eligible to play, everyone in the league will be watching today to see what the Eagles do with it.The Colts certainly couldn't figure out how to stop the Dolphins' Wildcat on Monday. Through the first three quarters, Miami ran ..."

McNabb doesn't practice; Vick will play

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September 24

ESPN.com

"Donovan McNabb is still not able to practice and it appears unlikely he will play this week. McNabb, who suffered a broken rib in a season-opening win over the Carolina Panthers, is expected to miss his second straight game as the Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) meet the Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) at Lincoln Financial Field. With the Eagles on a bye next week, resting McNabb gives him more time to heal before the Eagles host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 11. McNabb was at Thursday's practice, but only watched. Third-year QB Kevin Kolb started last week in a loss to the New Orleans Saints and is expected to start again. Veterans Jeff Garcia and Michael Vick, back from his league suspension, will ..."

Eagles' Maclin glad that Vick is getting back on the field

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September 24

Kansas City Star

"Jeremy Maclin can still see the play in his mind. The speed, the grace, the dominance. It was a classic NFL moment, the time the quarterback outran a team's entire defense. "Informants have come forward saying they can link Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick to dog fighting." - The Associated Press, May 31, 2007 The Philadelphia Eagles' rookie remembers it so vividly. It was 2002. Maclin was 14 years old then, a young football player whose skills would fit into the NFL's future. The man on the television helped make it that way. A league once ruled by size and power was being redefined by unpredictable speed. "In pleading guilty, one of the most exciting and polarizing figures in ..."

Vick's Return Creates Quite a Crowd

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September 24

Washington Post

"About a half-hour after the Philadelphia Eagles' lopsided loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, one former Pro Bowl quarterback, Donovan McNabb, walked across their spacious home locker room. McNabb, already dressed in a suit, stopped to chat with someone on his way toward the door. A second former Pro Bowl quarterback, Jeff Garcia, stood by his locker across the room, staring into it silently while he pulled on his clothes. The Eagles' third former Pro Bowl quarterback, Michael Vick, was nowhere to be seen, with his locker emptied. What all three had in common was that none had participated in a single play that day while the team's other quarterback, Kevin Kolb, had thrown three ..."

Vick excited about fresh start here

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September 24

Camden Courier-Post

"Michael Vick says he's a changed man, and therefore, a changed football player. He works harder now to get into shape. He wakes up earlier to get to work. He watches more film. He's not the same guy who once told Eagles media leading up to the Falcons' Dec. 31 game at Lincoln Financial Field in 2006 that his sole ambition was to get back to Atlanta before the ball dropped. This, he promises. "We (weren't) going to be playoff contenders and I just pretty much took the game kind of lightly, and you see what happens when you take a game lightly, you go out and get hurt," said Vick, who left the game with an ankle injury after being corralled by Juqua Parker (then known as Juqua Thomas). "So, ..."

Michael Vick scenarios unfold

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September 24

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Now we enter Phase Two of Michael Vick's career and the wild-and-wacky version of coach Andy Reid's West Coast offense.After spending Tuesday talking to students at a Philadelphia school, Vick was bubbling with enthusiasm yesterday as he prepared to play in his first regular-season NFL game since New Year's Eve 2006."It's very exciting to have the opportunity to go out there and just play football," the Eagles' Wildcat quarterback said during a 17-minute session with the media before practice. "I've been watching football from afar the last two years and this is a dream-come-true season to me. Even in the walk-through, I was running fast."The burning question is how often will Vick be ..."

Vick says Eagles should pick right spots to go Wild

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September 24

Philadelphia Daily News

"MICHAEL VICK thinks the Wildcat adds spice to an offense, but can't be the main ingredient.Vick, eligible to play as an Eagle for the first time this weekend against the Chiefs, spoke at length in front of his locker to a swarm of reporters yesterday. Vick recalled when the Falcons used an option-type offense in 2006, making him the Wildcat originator, he said."I thought it was the best thing smokin', and it really helped our football team reach a certain plateau," he said. "Down the stretch, it kind of wore itself out and wasn't as productive as it was the first half of the season. It can be a part of your offense, but not a major part of your offense. I think you've just got to throw it ..."

Reid not saying if Vick will play

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September 23

ESPN.com

"The only certainty in the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback situation appears to be uncertainty -- and it doesn't end with whether Donovan McNabb will start on Sunday. Eagles coach Andy Reid knows McNabb or Kevin Kolb will start against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday -- McNabb if he's healthy enough to play, Kolb if McNabb can't go. But who's the backup? Reid isn't sure whether Jeff Garcia or Michael Vick would be the backup quarterback. Reid wouldn't even say that Vick is definitely playing against the Chiefs. Vick is eligible for the first time after serving a two-game suspension as the final league penalty for his role in running a dogfighting ring. But Vick, calling himself "The ..."

Vick gives Eagles a new dimension

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September 23

Camden Courier-Post

"Despite the lopsided loss to New Orleans, Eagles coach Andy Reid found a silver lining in his offense's success with the wildcat and other trick schemes they proudly showcased in their home opener. Imagine what Reid has in store for the Chiefs on Sunday with perhaps the NFL's most lethal wildcat weapon at his disposal. With his two-game suspension served, Michael Vick will make his NFL regular-season debut Sunday after a layoff of more than two years while he served a prison sentence for bankrolling a dogfighting circuit. Vick played about a dozen snaps with the first-team offense during the preseason and played nearly a half at quarterback, but Reid wasn't ready to cement Vick's role ..."

Like it or not, all eyes on Vick

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September 23

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Ashley Fox

"For us scribes, it's like Christmas in September. It's Michael Vick week, and the house should be packed, starting today when the Eagles return to the NovaCare Complex. It could be SRO in the auditorium when Andy Reid takes the podium at 11:30 a.m., and folks won't be there to hear about how the Eagles are looking forward to the challenge of playing the Kansas City Chiefs.Sensing the interest in their third-string quarterback, the Eagles announced on their Web site yesterday that Vick would join Dave Spadaro "in studio" for his Web show at 11 a.m. It helps to be affiliated with the team.Vick wouldn't talk to the reporters who gathered yesterday morning at the George W. Pepper Middle ..."

Vick has company on the comeback trail

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September 23

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Stan Hochman

"MUHAMMAD ALI did it. Michael Jordan did it. Twice. Ted Williams did it. Twice. Mike Tyson came apart trying. Kim Clijsters? Oh, mama! Floyd Mayweather did it impressively on the weekend, against an undersized, overmatched warrior.And now it is Michael Vick's turn to peer into the comeback kaleidoscope, first time in a long time. Do the multicolored crystals align in a starburst pattern or do they wind up in the random, chaotic design that spells failure?Vick missed two NFL seasons doing time in the slammer for behavior Jeff Lurie described as lacking "a shred of human decency." And now Vick comes back with the Eagles, owned by Lurie.Does pro football make strange bedfellows or what? After ..."

Vick off exempt list

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September 15

ESPN.com

"Philadelphia activated quarterback Michael Vick from its exempt list, meaning he now is allowed to practice with the team and will begin doing so Wednesday, a league source said Tuesday. To create room on its roster for Vick, the Eagles plan to release wide receiver Hank Baskett, whom the team has been trying to trade."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is wrong to cut Michael Vick's suspension

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September 10

Oakland Tribune

"MICHAEL VICK has lost nearly everything, and deserved it. He was once the highest-paid player in the National Football League and now he is scrambling just to get his finances together. He asked for that, too. Vick spent 18 months in federal prison following his conviction on charges of conspiracy and organizing a dogfighting ring. He was party to the commission of heinously cruel acts against these animals. But he paid a price and now, thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles, Vick is getting a second chance in the NFL. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been known as someone who is tough on those who give the league a bad name. He has repeatedly wielded the league's code of personal conduct ..."

Vick's redemption off to slow start

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September 10

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Phil Sheridan

"There were two reasons the personal Michael Vick moratorium was over before it began. Reason No. 1: Vick made the first of his local anti-dogfighting appearances at Nueva Esperanza Academy in the Hunting Park section of the city yesterday. Because owner Jeffrey Lurie created the "proactive" gold standard for judging the Eagles' signing of Vick, it is important to hold him, the organization, and especially Vick to that standard. Reason No. 2: This might be a little harder to follow, but those of us who have come down heavily against the Vick signing owe it to the man and his new employers to keep our minds as open as possible. If Vick is really here as some kind of experiment in ..."

Newspaper ads to follow Vick and the Eagles

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September 10

Philadelphia Daily News

"They're still dogging him.Just not the way they planned.Main Line Animal Rescue has backed off its idea to use billboard space to further excoriate Michael Vick. Instead, it is buying ad space in newspapers that operate in cities the Eagles and Vick will visit.The ads will encourage local animal lovers to visit shelters to pamper pit bulls on the day the Eagles and Vick play in that city. The shelter also pledges five bags of dog food for every time Vick gets tackled that day."Rather than slamming the guy for the next couple of years, we thought, 'Why not come up with something funny?' " explained Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue.The Eagles are not amused.The ad ran in the ..."

With Vick, Reid puts pressure on McNabb again

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September 7

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Phil Sheridan

"The departure of A.J. Feeley brings back memories of a disturbing episode in recent Eagles history that has a real chance of repeating itself with a vengeance in the weeks to come.We want A.J., we want A.J. . . .It was September 2003, just eight months after the Eagles' gut-punch loss to Tampa Bay in the NFC championship game at Veterans Stadium. The Eagles opened their inaugural season at brand-new Lincoln Financial Field with home games against the two most recent Super Bowl champions.They lost to the Bucs, 17-0, on a Monday night. Six days later, they got destroyed by New England. By the third quarter of the Patriots game, Donovan McNabb was being booed every time he took the field. A ..."

Vick adds whole new dimension to wildcat

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September 6

Camden Courier-Post

columnist Martin Frank

"The Miami Dolphins started using the wildcat formation last season to mask deficiencies in their offense. Running back Ronnie Brown would take a direct snap from center, often with quarterback Chad Pennington spread out wide, and use his athleticism and mismatches to strike fear into defenses. Once it worked in a lopsided win over the New England Patriots -- Brown had four touchdowns in that game -- it quickly became the NFL's flavor of the month. Except that it's not going away. Not after the Dolphins improved from 1-15 in 2007 to 11-5 and a playoff berth last season. More than half the teams tried some version of the wildcat last season. This season, the wildcat will become even more ..."

With Michael Vick unleashed, Donovan McNabb could be taking walk soon

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September 4

New York Daily News

columnist Tim Smith

"Thursday was an eventful day for Michael Vick. But they have all been that way since commissioner Roger Goodell cracked the door open and allowed him to return to the NFL in July following an 18-month stint in a federal prison on dogfighting charges. Goodell met with Vick at a hotel in New Jersey Thursday. Three hours before the Eagles took the field against the Jets, he told Vick that he will be eligible to play in Week 3. That means the clock is now ticking on Donovan McNabb's tenure as the Eagles' starting QB. "I was surprised," said Vick, who expected a six-game suspension from Goodell. "I'm blessed to have the opportunity to play quarterback. It's still somewhat of a dream when I ..."

Vick signing hasn't bitten Eagles - so far

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September 4

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Bob Ford

"Whatever the Eagles expected to happen in the first three weeks after they signed quarterback Michael Vick, they couldn't have expected this. In their worst-case projections, there must have been visions of mass protests surrounding the stadiums, of taking on a player whose supposedly lax work habits hadn't improved with time, of football skills diminished beyond recognition, of some relative driving a car registered to Vick being pulled over for heaven knows what. But something. There would have to be something. Instead, for the risk of trusting in the better angels of Vick's nature - and in the short-attention-span theater that houses public outrage - the Eagles have been rewarded with a ..."

Goodell: Vick will be eligible after two games

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September 4

Philadelphia Inquirer

"In the end, Roger Goodell conceded, his reinstatement yesterday of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick into the NFL for the third week of the regular season was "a gut check." Vick had lied to Goodell once before, when he told the NFL commissioner that he had not been involved in a dogfighting operation when, in fact, he had. Still, after meeting with Vick and Eagles coach Andy Reid for about an hour yesterday morning and then speaking with Vick's mentor, Tony Dungy, for 45 minutes, Goodell decided that a two-game suspension, rather than a six-game suspension, was adequate. Vick will be eligible to play when the Eagles host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 27 at Lincoln Financial Field. "I said ..."

Eagles planning Vick's public appearances

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September 4

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Michael Vick now knows when he'll get a chance to play and we could soon find out about his first public appearance away from the field. After NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced yesterday that Vick would be eligible to return for the Eagles' Week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lincoln Financial Field, team president Joe Banner was asked when the quarterback would start making the rounds in the community as promised when he signed three weeks ago. "I think you'll see Michael at an event very soon," Banner said before last night's 38-27 loss to the New York Jets in the preseason finale. "We'll be announcing something after we wrap up some details. As far as the organizational ..."

Flashes of Vick's future

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September 4

Camden Courier-Post

"Before the game, Michael Vick had mapped out all the potential scenarios for his touchdown celebration -- hand the ball to an offensive lineman, spike it or maybe just save the memento -- but his plans changed once he raced through the pile and into paydirt. "I got up and just lost it," he said. "I ran off the field." It was a night filled with unpredictable highs and lows for Vick, who hours earlier had learned that he'd only have to wait two weeks for his official NFL comeback. Vick, whose suspension from commissioner Roger Goodell was placed at two regular-season games Thursday, scored a touchdown and threw an interception during the first half of the Eagles' 38-27 preseason finale loss ..."