Michael Vick does not want to say goodbye to the NFL, hoping that someone, soon enough, gives him a chance to try and win a starting quarterback spot. But hope and dreams, unlike what parents often teach their kids, aren’t always enough to get you what you wish for.
Vick last played for the New York Jets, mostly being the backup of Geno Smith in a terrible season for the franchise. Vick did get to start three games and managed to look decent in a couple of them. The Jets were 1-2 with him as a starter. Vick completed 52.9% of his passes, threw three touchdown passes and two interceptions, while rushing for 153 yards on 26 carries. For the first time in his career, he finished a season without a rushing touchdown.
It’s been a while since Vick was a starter on a winning team. In 2011 he was 7-6 as a starter for the Eagles; that’s the last time he has a winning record as a starter. Obviously, it’s not all that up to him, but you get the point: Vick, at almost 35, doesn’t have the ability to influence the game as he did once, now that his running is just good and not special, while his passing ability keeps slipping to almost the unusable zone.
He’s been training with Chris Chambers, the former Miami Dolphins wide receiver, and seems to be decided on getting back to the game. After last season and during it, it seemed to Vick that maybe it’s time for him to leave the NFL, a league he started playing in back in 2001, experienced an incredible downfall due to the dog fighting crimes and rose back up to the front of the stage after prison with a couple of very good years with the Philadelphia Eagles.
He didn’t know if he wanted to play football again. There was a lot of political stuff with him and Geno Smith with the Jets last year. Last two weeks, he has done phenomenal. There are several teams that want him. He wanted to be on a winning team. He wants to play three years. Eventually, he wants to start again.
It’s hard to remember when Vick was actually good. Probably more than two years ago. He’s still in shape, but being in shape doesn’t make you quarterback-material, not in a league where even a third-stringer spot is highly contested for. Some say Vick should have never been allowed back into the league for his crimes. This time, he’s being kept out for simply not being good enough, always the most important factor among NFL executives and decision makers.