| Name | Michael Vick |
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| Width | 160px |
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| Caption | Vick during a post-game interview in September 2009 |
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| Currentteam | Philadelphia Eagles |
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| Currentnumber | 7 |
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| Currentpositionplain | Quarterback |
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| Birthdate | June 26, 1980 |
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| Birthplace | Newport News, Virginia |
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| Heightft | 6 |
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| Heightin | 0 |
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| Weight | 215 |
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| College | Virginia Tech |
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| Draftyear | 2001 |
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| Draftround | 1 |
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| Draftpick | 1 |
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| Debutyear | 2001 |
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| Debutteam | Atlanta Falcons |
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| Pastteams | |
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| Status | Unrestricted free agent |
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| Highlights | |
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| Statweek | 17 |
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| Statseason | 2010 |
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| Statlabel1 | TD-INT |
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| Statvalue1 | 93–58 |
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| Statlabel2 | Passing yards |
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| Statvalue2 | 14,609 |
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| Statlabel3 | QB Rating |
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| Statvalue3 | 80.2 |
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| Statlabel4 | Rushing yards |
|---|
| Statvalue4 | 4,640 |
|---|
| Statlabel5 | Rushing touchdowns |
|---|
| Statvalue5 | 32 |
|---|
| Nfl | VIC311467 |
|---|
Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is an
American football quarterback for the
Philadelphia Eagles of the
National Football League. He played for the
Atlanta Falcons for six seasons before serving time in prison for his involvement in an illegal
dog fighting ring.
Vick played college football at Virginia Tech, where as a freshman he placed third in the Heisman Trophy balloting. He left after his sophomore year to enter the NFL and was drafted first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft. He became the first African-American quarterback to be selected first overall in an NFL Draft. In six seasons with the Falcons, he gained wide popularity for his performance on the field, and led the Falcons to the playoffs twice. Vick ranks second among quarterbacks in career rushing yards.
In April 2007, Vick was implicated in an illegal interstate dog fighting ring that had operated over five years. In August 2007, he pleaded guilty to federal felony charges and served 21 months in prison, followed by two months in home confinement. With the loss of his NFL salary and product endorsement deals, combined with previous financial mismanagement, Vick filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2008. Falcons owner Arthur Blank did not want Vick on the Falcons, and after attempts to trade him failed, Vick was released. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and was reinstated in Week 3 of the 2009 season.
Childhood
Vick is the second of four children born in
Newport News, Virginia to Brenda Vick and Michael Boddie, then unmarried teenagers. His mother worked two jobs, obtained some public financial assistance, and had help from her parents, while his father worked long hours in the shipyards as a sandblaster and spray-painter. They were married when Michael was about five years old, but the children elected to continue to use their "Vick" surname. The family lived in the Ridley Circle Homes, a
public housing project in a financially depressed and crime-ridden neighborhood located in the
East End section of the port city. A 2007 newspaper article published in the
Richmond Times-Dispatch noted "not much changed" by observations of local people almost ten years after Michael Vick left. One resident said that there was
drug dealing,
drive-by shootings and other killings in the neighborhood, then suggested that
sports were a way out and a dream for many.
In a 2001 interview, Vick told the Newport News Daily Press that when he was 10 or 11, "I would go fishing even if the fish weren't biting, just to get away from the violence and stress of daily life in the projects." As a 10-year-old throwing three touchdown passes in a Boys Club league, his apparent football talents led coaches and his parents to keep special watch.
College career
In his first collegiate game as a
redshirt freshman against
James Madison in
1999, Vick scored three rushing
touchdowns in just over one quarter of play. His last touchdown was a spectacular flip in which he landed awkwardly on his ankle, forcing him to miss the remainder of the game in addition to the following game. During the season, Vick led a last-minute game-winning drive against in the annual
Black Diamond Trophy game. He led the
Hokies to an 11–0 season and to the
Bowl Championship Series national title game in the
Nokia Sugar Bowl against
Florida State. Although Virginia Tech lost 46–29, Vick was able to bring the team back from a 21 point deficit to take a brief lead. During the season, Vick appeared on the cover of an
ESPN The Magazine issue.
Vick led the
NCAA in
passing efficiency that year, setting a record for a freshman (180.4), which was good enough for the third-highest all-time mark. Vick was awarded an
ESPY Award as the nation's top college player and won the first-ever
Archie Griffin Award as college football's
most valuable player. He was invited to the 1999
Heisman Trophy presentation and finished third in the voting behind
Ron Dayne and
Joe Hamilton. Vick's third place finish matched the highest finish ever by a freshman up to that point, first set by
Herschel Walker in 1980. Vick's
2000 season had highlights, such as his career rushing high of 210 yards against the
Boston College in
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Against
West Virginia University in the
Black Diamond Trophy game, Vick accounted for 288 total yards of offense and two touchdowns in a 48–20 win. The following week, Vick led the Hokies from a 14–0 deficit against at the
Carrier Dome, where the Hokies had not won since 1986. Vick put the game away with a 55-yard run with 1:34 left.
The following game against Pittsburgh, Vick was injured and had to miss the rest of the game as well as the entire game against , and was unable to start against the , the Hokies' lone loss of the season. Vick's final game at Virginia Tech came against the in the Toyota Gator Bowl, where he was named MVP of the game.
Vick left Virginia Tech after his redshirt sophomore season. Aware that the rest of his family was still living in their 3 bedroom apartment in the Ridley Circle Homes, Vick stated that he was going to buy his mother "a home and a car." ESPN later reported that Vick used some of his NFL and endorsement earnings to buy his mother a brand-new house in an upscale section of Suffolk, Virginia.
Statistics
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!|
! colspan="6" style="background:#e7e3e7;"| Passing
! colspan="3" style="background:#e7e3e7;"| Rushing
|-
!|YEAR
!|CMP
!|ATT
!|CMP%
!|YDS
!|TD
!|INT
!|ATT
!|YDS
!|TD
|-
|1999||90||153||58.8||1840||12||5||110||580||8
|-
|2000||97||179||54.2||1439||9||7||113||636||9
|}
Professional career
Atlanta Falcons
NFL Draft
Vick was selected
first in the
2001 NFL Draft by the
Atlanta Falcons. The
San Diego Chargers had the number one selection but traded the rights to the first overall choice to the Atlanta Falcons a day before the draft, for which they received the Falcons' first round pick (5th overall) and third round pick in 2001. Vick was drafted in the 30th round of the
2000 MLB Draft by the
Colorado Rockies, despite not playing baseball at Virginia Tech.
Vick and teammate RB Warrick Dunn (1,140) became the first quarterback/running back duo to each surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a single season.
Early NFL career
Vick made his NFL debut at San Francisco on September 9, 2001 and saw limited action. He completed his first NFL pass to WR Tony Martin in the second quarter vs. Carolina on September 23 and first NFL touchdown on a two-yard rushing score in the fourth quarter to help the Falcons to a 24–16 victory. Vick made his first start at Dallas on November 11 and threw his first touchdown pass to TE Alge Crumpler in a 20–13 victory. In his two starts of the eight games played that season, Vick completed 50 of 113 passes for 785 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, accounting for 234 of the team's 255 yards at the team's season finale at St. Louis on January 6, 2002. He rushed 29 times for 289 yards (9.9 avg.) and one touchdown.
In 2002, Vick was named to the Pro Bowl after starting 15 games, missing a game to the New York Giants on October 13 with a sprained shoulder. He completed 231 of 421 passes for 2,936 yards (both career-highs) and 16 touchdowns with 113 carries for 777 yards and eight touchdowns. Vick established numerous single-game career highs, including passes completed with 24 and pass attempts with 46 at Pittsburgh on November 10, as well as passing yards with 337 vs. Detroit on December 22. He completed 74 yards for a touchdown to WR Trevor Gaylor vs. New Orleans on November 17. Vick registered an NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single a game with 173 at Minnesota on December 1. Vick tied for third in team history for the lowest interception percentage in a season at 1.90 and continued a streak of consecutive passes without an interception that began at St. Louis on January 6, 2002 in the season finale of the 2001 season and extended to the first quarter vs. Baltimore on November 3, 2002. His streak covered 25 straight quarters and 177 passes without an interception. On January 1, 2003, Vick led the Atlanta Falcons to an upset victory over the heavily favored Green Bay 27–7 in the NFC playoffs, ending the Packers' undefeated playoff record at Lambeau Field. The Falcons would later lose 20–6 to the Donovan McNabb-led Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC divisional playoff game.
2003–2006 seasons
During a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on August 16, Vick suffered a fractured right fibula and missed the first 11 games of the regular season. In Week 13, Vick made his season debut in relief of QB Doug Johnson in the third quarter at Houston on November 30, completing 8 of 11 passes for 60 yards and recording 16 rushing yards on three carries. He posted his first start of the season vs. Carolina on December 7 and amassed the third-highest rushing total by a quarterback in NFL history with 141 yards on 14 carries and one score to lead the Falcons to a 21–14 victory. He completed 16 of 33 passes for 179 yards and accounted for 320 of the team's 380 offensive yards. Vick closed out the season with a 21–14 victory vs. Jacksonville on December 28, where he completed 12 of 22 passes for 180 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
In 2004, Vick was named to his second Pro Bowl after starting 15 games, completing 181 of 321 passes for 2,313 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He rushed 120 times for 902 yards and three scores. His 902 rushing yards ranked third all-time by NFL QBs. His 7.5 yards per carry rank first among all NFL players.
Endorsements
During his career with the Falcons, Vick became a spokesperson for many companies; his endorsement contracts included
Nike,
EA Sports,
Coca-Cola,
Powerade,
Kraft,
Rawlings,
Hasbro and
AirTran.
Before the animal cruelty case surfaced in 2007, Vick's corporate status had deteriorated. Among the negative incidents was his middle finger gesture to Atlanta football fans in 2006.
Suspension
In August 2007, hours after Vick pleaded guilty to federal charges in the Bad Newz Kennels
dog fighting investigation, the NFL suspended him indefinitely without pay. In a letter to Vick, Commissioner
Roger Goodell said that Vick had admitted to conduct that was "not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible." While Vick is technically a first-time offender under the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, Goodell handed down a harsher suspension because Vick admitted that he provided most of the money for the
gambling side of the operation. Goodell left open the possibility of reinstating Vick depending on how he cooperated with federal and state authorities.
Goodell had barred Vick from reporting to training camp while the league conducted its own investigation into the matter. At his July 26 arraignment, the terms of his bail barred him from leaving Virginia before the trial.
On August 27, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a press conference that the Falcons would seek to recover a portion of Vick's signing bonus. He said the team had no immediate plans to cut ties with Vick, citing salary-cap issues. It initially appeared that Goodell had cleared the way for the Falcons to release Vick, since he ruled that Vick's involvement in gambling activity breached his contract. On August 29, the Falcons sent a letter to Vick demanding that he reimburse them for $20 million of the $37 million bonus. The case was sent to arbitration, and on October 10, an arbitrator ruled that Vick had to reimburse the Falcons for $19.97 million. The arbitrator agreed with the Falcons' contentions that Vick knew he was engaging in illegal activity when he signed his new contract in 2004, and that he had used the bonus money to pay for the operation.
Future in football and conditional reinstatement
The prospects of Vick returning to play professional football were the subject of conjecture. After his suspension, the most serious obstacles were the length of imprisonment and possible impact of probationary restrictions afterward. Vick's federal prison sentence was set to expire July 20, 2009, although he completed his sentence under house arrest at his home in
Hampton, Virginia. The Virginia charges he faced were resolved and dropped in late 2008 with a suspended sentence.
During incarceration, Vick's financial condition rapidly deteriorated due to virtually having no income and substantial ongoing expenses for attorneys, maintaining at least six luxury homes in Virginia, Georgia, and Florida, and providing living expenses and about ten vehicles for friends and relatives. With debts millions of dollars in excess of assets, and facing judgments and collection efforts by some of the creditors, his attorneys filed for federal bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 on his behalf in July 2008. His agent, Joel Segal, testified that he hoped to secure Vick a well-paying contract to play football with another NFL team after his suspension is lifted and after the Falcons release him.
Vick wanted to start the bankruptcy plan May 1, 2009 but could only demonstrate a commitment for a construction job paying approximately $20,000 per year arranged by the rector of Virginia Tech, an old friend and long-time supporter. His plan, even after divesting many assets, would have required at least $200,000 annually to maintain two of the homes in Virginia, three expensive vehicles, and continue to provide a comfortable living for his mother, brother, a former girlfriend and their son, and his fiancee and their two children. The plan was rejected by Judge Frank Santoro on April 3, who said the numbers simply did not work. He agreed to allow Vick time to plan a much more modest plan. Santoro was scheduled to meet with attorneys on April 28 for an update session.
Philadelphia Eagles
2009
After his release from prison, Vick was mentored by former Colts coach
Tony Dungy. On August 13, 2009, Vick signed a one-year contract with the
Philadelphia Eagles. He earned $1.6 million, of which no amount was guaranteed. The contract contained a team option for the 2010 season worth $5 million. Vick was able to participate in all team practices and meetings as well as the Eagles' last two preseason games. He was eligible to play in the third week of the regular season.
Donovan McNabb told reporters he gave coach
Andy Reid the idea to sign Vick. He was placed on the exempt/commissioner's permission list on September 5, 2009. On September 15, Vick was activated to the 53-man roster. He played sparingly as McNabb's backup. In week 13, against the Falcons, Vick threw a touchdown and ran for a touchdown, his first scores since December 2006. In December 2009, Vick became the
Ed Block Courage Award recipient for the Eagles, an award voted by teammates. The award honors players who "exemplify commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage." Vick said of the award, "It means a great deal to me. I was voted unanimously by my teammates. They know what I've been through. I've been through a lot. It's been great to come back and have an opportunity to play and be with a great group of guys. I'm just ecstatic about that and I enjoy every day." On January 9, 2010, in the Eagles' NFC Wildcard game against the
Dallas Cowboys, Vick threw the longest touchdown pass of his career, connecting in the second quarter with rookie
Jeremy Maclin for a 76-yard score.
2010
On January 11, 2010, Reid named Donovan McNabb the Eagles' 2010 starter, but after McNabb was traded to the
Washington Redskins,
Kevin Kolb was named the starter with Vick again second string. Vick said, "I know I can still play at a high level." When asked if he wanted the Eagles to pick up the second year of his contract, he replied, "I hope so...I feel like I'm probably better than I ever was in my career, as far as the mental aspect of the game." On March 9, 2010, the Eagles exercised his option for 2010 and Vick received a $1.5 million roster bonus. On September 21, 2010, Reid named Vick the Eagles' starting quarterback. In his second game as a starter versus the
Jacksonville Jaguars, Vick led the Eagles to a 28–3 win, throwing for 291 yards and three touchdowns as well as rushing for a touchdown. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for the month of September. Vick suffered a rib cartilage injury in a week 4 game against the Redskins, and was replaced by Kolb. Vick had gone 5-for-7 for 49 yards with three carries for 17 yards prior to the injury.
On November 15, in a week 10 Monday Night Football matchup against the Washington Redskins, Vick passed for 333 yards and four touchdowns, while he rushed for 80 yards and another two touchdowns. Vick threw an 88-yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson on the first play from scrimmage in the game, and went on to lead the Eagles to a 59–28 victory. Vick was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week following his performance, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame asked for his game jersey to display after Vick became the first player to pass for three touchdowns and rush for two touchdowns in the first half of a game. On December 19, in a week 15 matchup against the New York Giants, Vick led a fourth quarter rally to erase a 21-point deficit and scored three touchdowns to tie the game with under two minutes left. DeSean Jackson returned a punt return for a touchdown to win the game for the Eagles as time expired. Within days, Vick's mother, Brenda Vick Boddie, told the Newport News Daily Press "There was no dogfighting (at our home). There were no cages."
In early 2004, two men were arrested in Virginia for distributing marijuana. The truck they were driving was registered to Vick. Falcons coach Dan Reeves recalled that he lectured Vick at that time on the importance of reputation, on choosing the right friends, and on staying out of trouble for the good of his team.
On October 10, 2004, Vick and other members of his party, including employee Quanis Phillips, were at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport on their way to board an AirTran flight. While they were passing through a security checkpoint, a security camera caught Phillips and Todd Harris picking up an expensive-appearing watch which belonged to Alvin Spencer, a security screener. After watching the theft on a video tape, Spencer filed a police report. He claimed that Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, known as the Falcons' "fixer", interfered with the investigation. Elliot further alleged that Vick had visited clinics under the alias "Ron Mexico" to get treatments and thus knew of his condition. On April 24, 2006, Vick's attorney, Lawrence Woodward, revealed that the lawsuit had been settled out of court under undisclosed terms. Many fans bought custom jerseys from NFL.com with Vick's number 7 and the name "MEXICO" on the back. The NFL has since banned customizing jerseys with the name Mexico.
November 26, 2006 – After a loss to the New Orleans Saints in the Georgia Dome, in apparent reaction to fans booing, Vick made an obscene gesture at fans, holding up two middle fingers. He was fined $10,000 by the NFL and agreed to donate another $10,000 to charity.
January 17, 2007 – Vick surrendered a water bottle which had a hidden compartment to security personnel at Miami International Airport. "The compartment was hidden by the bottle's label so that it appeared to be a full bottle of water when held upright," police said. Test results indicated there were no illegal substances in the water bottle and Vick was cleared of any wrongdoing. Vick announced that the water bottle was a jewelry stash box, and that the substance in question had been jewelry.
On April 24, 2007, Vick was scheduled to lobby on Capitol Hill, hoping to persuade lawmakers to increase funding for after-school programs. Vick missed a connecting flight in Atlanta on Monday to Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. He later failed to show up for another seat booked for him later that evening. On Tuesday morning, he did not attend his scheduled appearance at the congressional breakfast where he was to be honored for his foundation's work with after-school projects in Georgia and Virginia. Vick's mother Brenda accepted the award from the Afterschool Alliance.
Dog fighting investigations
A search warrant executed on April 25, 2007 as part of a drug investigation of Vick's cousin Davon Boddie led to discovery of evidence of unlawful
dog fighting activities at a property owned by Vick in rural
Surry County in southeastern Virginia, with extensive dogfighting facilities. They were expected to each receive federal prison sentences between 12 months and five years.
On August 24, Vick filed plea documents with the federal court. He pleaded guilty to "Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities and to Sponsor a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture". He admitted to providing most of the financing for the operation and to participating directly in several dog fights in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. He admitted to sharing in the proceeds from these dog fights. He further admitted that he knew his colleagues killed several dogs who did not perform well. He admitted to being involved in the destruction of 6–8 dogs, by hanging or drowning. The "victimization and killing of pit bulls" was considered as aggravating circumstances that led prosecutors to exceed the federal sentencing guidelines for the charge. He denied placing any side bets on the dogfights.
On August 27, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted Vick's guilty plea.
Failed drug test
While free on bail, Vick tested positive for marijuana in a random drug test. This was a violation of the conditions of his release while awaiting sentencing in federal court for his felony conviction. Vick's positive urine sample was submitted September 13, 2007, according to a document by a federal probation officer that was filed in U.S. District Court on September 26. As a result, Hudson ordered Vick confined to his
Hampton, Virginia home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. with electronic monitoring until his court hearing date in December. He was ordered to submit to random drug testing.
Incarceration begins
In November, Vick turned himself in early to begin getting time-served credit against his likely federal prison sentence. He was held at Northern Neck Regional Jail in
Warsaw, Virginia awaiting sentencing on the federal convictions on December 10, 2007.
Sentencing & prison
On December 10, Vick appeared in U.S. District Court in Richmond for sentencing. Judge Hudson said he was "convinced that it was not a momentary lack of judgment" on Vick's part, and that Vick was a "full partner" in the dog fighting ring, and he was sentenced to serve 23 months in federal prison. Hudson noted that, despite Vick's claims that he accepted responsibility for his actions, his failure to cooperate fully with federal officials, coupled with a failed drug test and a failed polygraph, showed that Vick had not accepted full responsibility for "promoting, funding and facilitating this cruel and inhumane sporting activity". Vick was assigned to
United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, a federal prison facility in
Leavenworth, Kansas to serve his sentence.
Funds to care for dogs
At the request of federal authorities before sentencing, Vick agreed to deposit nearly $1 million in an escrow account with attorneys for use to reimburse costs of caring for the confiscated dogs, most of which were being offered for adoption on a selective basis under supervision of a court-appointed specialist. Experts said some of the animals will require individual care for the rest of their lives. During his bankruptcy trial, the
U.S. Department of Labor complained that these funds were paid at least partially with unlawfully withdrawn monies which Vick held in trust for himself and eight other employees of MV7, a celebrity marketing company he owns.
State criminal prosecution
Separate Virginia charges against all four men were placed following indictments by the Surry County grand jury when it met on September 25, 2007. The principal evidence considered was the sworn statements of the defendants during their plea agreement process before the federal court, although the indictments are for different charges. Vick was charged with two class 6 felonies, which carry a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment for each charge.
Citing the high costs and transportation logistics of proceeding while he was still in federal prisons out of state, the prosecutor, Gerald Poindexter, decided to postpone Vick's trial in Surry County Circuit Court until after his release from federal custody. Vick's attorneys sought to resolve the state charges sooner. On October 14, 2008, Woodward filed a motion to enter a plea via two-way electronic video with the Surry County Courts. Vick planned to plead guilty to state charges in an effort to get early release from federal prison and enter a halfway house. The request for a trial without Vick physically present was denied. Poindexter agreed to hold the state trial while Vick was still in federal custody if he bore the costs of his transportation to Virginia and related expenses.
State trial and sentencing
In late November 2008, Vick was transported to Virginia to face state charges. On November 25, he appeared before the Surry County Circuit Court at a session held in neighboring
Sussex County because the Surry court building was undergoing renovation. He submitted a guilty plea to a single Virginia felony charge for dog fighting, receiving a 3 year prison sentence, imposition of which was suspended upon condition of good behavior, and a $2500 fine. In return for the plea agreement, the other charge was dropped. Michael Dwayne Vick,
Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) ID# 33765-183, was released on July 20, 2009.
Steroid allegations
On January 23, 2010, the
Dallas Morning News reported that steroid trafficker
David Jacobs told the paper he supplied steroids to Vick while Vick played for the Falcons. When questioned by federal agents and prosecutors, Vick denied the allegations.
Financial troubles
At the end of 2006,
Sports Illustrated magazine estimated Vick's annual income between his NFL salary and endorsements at $25.4 million, ranking him just below NASCAR's
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in a listing of highest earning athletes. There were problems in Vick's affairs with poor financial management, bad investments, and lawsuits. A $45 million dollar lawsuit was pending in a dispute with his original sports agents. Several lucrative endorsement deals apparently soured.
After the dog fighting indictments were announced in July 2007, financial claims against Vick escalated. While in prison, Vick's income was reduced to wages of less than a dollar a day. With affairs severely affected by lost income, legal expenses, litigation, and mismanagement by a series of friends and financial advisers, he was unable to meet scheduled payments and other obligations. Within several months, Vick had been named in numerous lawsuits by banks and creditors for defaulting on loans, some relating to business investments.
The dog fighting property near Smithfield, Virginia had been liquidated earlier, and in November 2007, Vick attempted to sell another of his homes.
As he served his sentence in the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, friends and family continued to occupy some of the other homes in the South Beach section of Miami Beach, Florida and multiple locations in Virginia. In June 2008, when his brother Marcus was arrested and jailed in Norfolk after a police chase, he listed his residence as a $1.39 million home owned by Vick in an exclusive riverfront community in Suffolk, Virginia. Construction of a new riverfront home took place on land Vick owned in another exclusive section of Suffolk. His attorneys later estimated that he was spending $30,000 a month to support 7 friends and relatives, including his mother and brother, 3 children, and their mothers.
Listing of major financial obligations
Although dozens of creditors were listed in the initial bankruptcy filing, several stood out as major.
Joel Enterprises
Joel Enterprises of
Richmond was listed by Vick as one of his larger creditors. Sports agents Andrew Joel and Dave Lowman claimed Vick signed a contract with their firm in 2001, 9 days before he announced he was leaving Virginia Tech early and declaring himself eligible for the NFL Draft. With his mother as a witness, Vick signed a five-year marketing agreement that anticipated a wide range of endorsement activities using Vick's name, likeness, voice and reputation. Joel's cut would be 25% of all deals, excluding Vick's NFL contract, according to the agreement. Subsequently, Vick attempted to end the relationship with Joel Enterprises suddenly a few weeks later, and entered into another relationship with other agents.
In 2005, Joel Enterprises sued Vick in Richmond Circuit Court for $45 million in compensatory and punitive damages for "breach of contract" . After the Virginia Supreme Court denied a Vick motion and ruled that the civil trial could proceed in December 2006,
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons sought to recover a portion of Vick's $37 million 2004 signing bonus. A reduced amount of $20 million was awarded to the Falcons in binding legal arbitration, which Vick disputed. The amount was reduced by an agreement between the parties that Vick will pay the Falcons between $6.5 and $7.5 million, the variance depending upon the outcome of a pending court case which is similar yet unrelated. The bankruptcy court was advised of this Vick-Falcons settlement agreement on April 3, 2009.
Royal Bank of Canada
On September 20, 2007, the
Royal Bank of Canada filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Newport News against Vick for more than $2.3 million for a loan which was to be for real estate purposes. The suit claimed Vick failed to meet a September 10 deadline to repay. On May 7, 2008, the court granted a motion for summary judgment against Vick for default and breach of a promissory note and ordered him to pay more than US$2.5 million.
1st Source Bank
On September 26, 2007,
1st Source Bank, based in
South Bend, Indiana, claimed in a federal lawsuit that it had suffered damages of at least $2 million as Vick and Divine Seven
LLC of Atlanta had refused to pay for at least 130 vehicles acquired to be used as
rental cars. The Specialty Financing Group of 1st Source provides financing for rental car fleets.
1st Source was able to repossess most of the cars, which will limit Vick's financial liability in the lawsuit. Vick's bankruptcy filing listed $400,000 as the amount of his potential liability; the filing did not indicate that the amount due 1st Source was either secured by any assets or in dispute.
Wachovia Bank
On October 2, 2007,
Wachovia Bank filed suit in U.S. District Court in Atlanta seeking about $940,000 from Vick and Gerald Frank Jenkins, a business partner, and their Atlantic Wine & Package LLC. The bank claimed the two defaulted on a May 2006 loan of $1.3 million to set up a wine shop and restaurant and had not made scheduled payments. Jenkins, a retired surgeon who has owned Atlantic Wine since 2004, brought Vick in as an investor.
In May 2008, that summary judgment in favor of Wachovia against Vick was granted by the U.S. District Court in Atlanta. The amount of $1,117,908.85 represented the initial principal balance outstanding ($937,907.61), interest accrued, outstanding fees, overdrawn accounts, and attorney fees. The order provided that further interest could be accrued.
U.S. Department of Labor
On March 25, 2009, the
United States Department of Labor filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Newport News, alleging that Vick and others violated federal employee benefits law taking funds in the amount of $1.35 million in withdrawals from the retirement plan sponsored by MV7, one of his companies.
The money held was in trust under pension laws to fund retirement plans for 9 current or former employees of MV7. The Labor Department simultaneously filed an adversary complaint in federal bankruptcy court to prevent Vick from discharging his alleged debt to the MV7 pension plan. The complaint alleged that some of the funds were used to pay restitution ordered in his dogfighting conspiracy case.
Early proceedings
In August 2008, Vick's finances were in such disarray that a bankruptcy judge had been asked to appoint a trustee to oversee them. U.S. Trustee W. Clarkson McDow Jr. noted in court documents filed in Virginia that, by his own admission, Vick "has limited ability to arrange his finances and limited ability to participate in the bankruptcy case on an in-person basis." McDow wrote in his motion to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee "It appears that Mr. Vick has routinely relied upon others to make financial decisions for him, giving them discretionary control over large sums of money". McDow named Mary Wong and David A. Talbot as individuals who had obtained broad written authority to act as his
attorney-in-fact over all of his financial affairs. On the same day, an ESPN news story described Wong and Talbot as "two financial advisers who have been charged with major frauds."
Mary Wong
In fall 2007, upon a recommendation from Falcons teammate
Demorrio Williams, Vick hired Wong, a business manager in
Omaha, Nebraska. Wong helped cash in some of Vick's investments to provide the restitution funds required by the federal court in his criminal case to care for the dogs. According to a document filed by one of Vick's attorneys, she used a power of attorney from Vick to "wrongfully remove" at least another $900,000 from his various accounts. Court papers also say Wong "caused certain business entities owned by [Vick] to be transferred to her." Vick learned later that Wong had been permanently barred from working with any firm that traded on the New York Stock Exchange as the result of taking more than $150,000 from two elderly widows she met while working at Wells Fargo Investments.
David A. Talbot
Vick next turned to Talbot, a medical school graduate from
Hackensack, New Jersey who claimed expertise in financial management. Vick later told the court that he met Talbot in April 2008 through his brother, Marcus, who he said is a good friend of Talbot's son. Talbot was to be paid $15,000 per month and took possession of one of Vick's cars, an $85,000 Mercedes-Benz. Upon closer examination, it was discovered that his professional résumé contained numerous false statements. Talbot has been accused of defrauding church members in
New Jersey. New Jersey's Attorney General instituted legal action against Talbot for
securities fraud in a scheme to "defraud" several investors of more than $500,000 by offering them "asset enhancement contracts" that were to be used to build a new church.
On August 29, a hearing was held in Newport News Bankruptcy Court. Vick participated by speaker phone from Leavenworth. He told the court his representatives were talking to the NFL on his behalf about a return to football, but that he did not know what his earning potential is. Talbot's attorney told the court that Talbot gave the Mercedes-Benz back to Marcus, who drove it from Florida to Virginia.
Ongoing expenses: support of friends and relatives
Attorney Paul K. Campsen explained to the court that Vick "has supported his mother, brother, fiancée and his two children" over the years.
Vick's mother Brenda was a school bus driver in Newport News. She had been earning $100,000 per year as an employee of MV7, Vick's celebrity marketing company, which also employed one of his sisters. Marcus, who lives with Brenda, lost his college scholarship when he was expelled from the football program at Virginia Tech following a series of incidents. An undrafted free agent in the 2006 NFL Draft, he was signed by the Miami Dolphins and played in one game. The Dolphins did not renew his single year contract. At the time of the hearing, he was free on bail facing multiple charges from the police chase incident in June 2008 in Norfolk. On October 20, Marcus was convicted and given a suspended twelve month jail sentence.
According to Vick's attorneys, money Vick gave his fiancée, mother, two children and other family members in recent years might have to be returned to pay creditors. If they bought property with money that Vick gave them, they could be ordered to sell that property and turn over the proceeds to the court.
Initial Reorganization Plan
After being granted an extension in July, on November 12, 2008, Vick's attorneys filed a document entitled "Disclosure Statement With Respect to Debtor's First Amended Plan of Reorganization." Under the bankruptcy plan discussed with the Bankruptcy Court earlier at an October 4 hearing, Vick's plans include selling three of his six homes. He would keep the two homes in Suffolk, the one occupied by his mother on West Creek Court, and his fiancée, Kijafa Frink, and their two children, who were living with him in the house in Hampton prior to his incarceration, would live in the new $2 million house being built on Wentworth Court in Suffolk. His previous girlfriend, Tameka Taylor, and his son by her, who have lived in the James City County house, would live with her relatives.
For monthly expenses, Vick listed support payments of approximately $30,000 a month. Items include $14,531 a month to his mother (which includes $4,700 in mortgage payments and a monthly electric power bill of $663), $12,363 a month to his fiancée and two daughters, and $3,500 a month to Taylor. Creditors have challenged Vick's spending, particularly since his suspension from the NFL.
Income prospects
Vick's attorneys told the judge on November 13 that Vick "has every reason to believe that upon his release, he will be reinstated into the NFL, resume his career and be able to earn a substantial living." had permission from Vick to disburse the money to Vick's family, but so far not all of the $3 million of Vick's money he apparently handled in the two years before Vick filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2008 has been accounted for.
The farm in Surry County for which Vick paid 50% was titled exclusively in Reamon's name, although Vick maintains he owned a 50% interest. Reamon was in possession or control of several small yachts, also paid for partially or entirely by Vick, one of which was being offered for sale.
The status of Vick's approximately 60% interest in Seven Charms, LLC, a horse farm in Conyers, Georgia in partnership with Arthur Washington, was undetermined. In September 2008, the farm, in which Vick had invested $200,000, was sold at absolute auction for unpaid real estate taxes at far below market value. Washington apparently failed to notify Vick of the pending auction and kept the proceeds. Documents revealed that both the actions of the county and Washington are being challenged by Vick's attorneys due to his federal bankruptcy protection. The Georgia house was put on auction in February, 2009. The minimum bid was $3.2 million, but there were no bids. Another effort in March failed to produce bids. Vick would have also retained valuable personal property, including a 2007 Land Rover, a Lincoln Navigator and a 2007 Infiniti truck.
The plan provided for Vick to keep all of his first $750,000 in income. A portion of his income in excess of $750,000 annually would be used by the court to discharge his debts on a sliding scale. He would then pay 20% of any additional income up to $2.5 million, 25% of income between $2.5 million and $10 million and 33% of income over $10 million. Joel Enterprises filed a complaint on March 26 alleging Vick transferred property and cash to relatives and friends in the year before he filed for bankruptcy to defraud his creditors.
The Internal Revenue Service reported to the bankruptcy judge that Vick owes more than $1.2 million in back taxes as of October 2008. The IRS said that figure may increase as he had not yet filed his 2007 return. The U.S. Marshals Service and Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk handled custody of him while in Virginia.
At the early part of the hearing, Santoro learned that settlement agreements had been negotiated by Vick's attorneys which would allow the U.S. Department of Labor and the Virginia Department of Taxation to withdraw their objections to the reorganization plan. The majority of Vick's creditors, representing about 80% of listed liabilities, agreed to this plan. At that point, the judge became aware that Joel Enterprises remained as the only creditor to continue to object to the plan.
Vick testified that he intends to live a better life after prison. He spoke about his crime, saying that it was "heinous" and he felt "true remorse". Under questioning by Joel's attorney, Vick admitted that he knowingly withdrew an additional $150,000 from the pension fund last year, even after being advised that it was improper, explaining that he was "desperate" to pay some bills.
Regarding his projected income, the court heard testimony about Vick's plans to pay creditors, which included working 40 hours a week in a $10 an hour construction job promised by a major contractor and longtime acquaintance, until he was reinstated to the NFL, and signed by a team. Agent Joel Segal testified to a pending $600,000 documentary deal to tell the story of Vick's life and his plan to negotiate to place Vick with an NFL team as soon as issues by the League and the Falcons are satisfied.
Initial Reorganization Plan rejected
Near the end of the hearing on April 3, Santoro rejected the plan as unsound, saying that it was too strongly predicated on both Vick's hopes of a return to the NFL and the very substantial projected income which it may bring, neither of which was assured. He said information presented about the $600,000 documentary deal was too incomplete.
Santoro calculated that under his plan, Vick would need about $1 million by May 1 to confirm the bankruptcy plan, and will only have about 21% of that available by then. Vick earlier testified that he felt obligated to provide for his friends and family because of "where he had come from." Santoro told Vick that while that might be commendable, "You cannot be everything to everybody. If you do, you're going to be nothing to anybody."
Revised Reorganization Plan in progress
On April 28, attorneys met with Santoro for a scheduled update meeting and advised him that they are making substantial progress on a revised plan to submit to the court. They reported having settled all disputes with his creditors, including Joel.
There were no indications of any new developments regarding Vick's prospects for playing in the NFL. Specific information about possible additional divesture one or both of the luxury homes and vehicles Vick had hoped to keep as the judge had recommended on April 3 was also not available. Santoro set a June 9 hearing date for the attorneys to return with a revised plan.
Awards, records, and accomplishments
College awards
1999 Big East Conference Rookie of the Year
1999 Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Year
1999 Archie Griffin Award
2000 Best College Football Player ESPY Award
2001 Toyota Gator Bowl MVP
College records and accomplishments
Set an NCAA record for a freshman and established single-season school records for highest yards passing per completion (20.4), per attempt (12.1), highest completion percentage (59.2) and most yards per play (9.3).
Became the first player in Division I history to win a league's Player of the Year Award in the same season he won Rookie of the Year.
NFL records and milestones
On November 15, 2010, Vick became the first player in NFL history with 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a game. Vick also became the first player in NFL history to have three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in the first half of a game.
In 2006, Vick became the only quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards during the regular season.
In 2006, Vick set the NFL record for most yards per carry in a season with 8.4.
Vick (1,039 yards) and Dunn (1,140) became the first QB/RB tandem in NFL history to each go over the 1,000-yard rushing mark in the same season. They became the fourth set of teammates in league history to each have 1,000 or more yards.
Made his third Pro Bowl in 2005 as he passed for 2,412 yards and 16 touchdowns in addition to leading all NFL quarterbacks with 597 rushing yards and six scores.
Named to the second Pro Bowl of his career after leading the Falcons to their third division title in team history and breaking numerous NFL and team records in 2004.
Set an NFL postseason record for a quarterback with 119 rushing yards in the 2004 NFC Divisional playoff win against the Rams.
Became the first quarterback to throw for more than 250 yards and rush for over 100 yards in the same game in Denver (October 31, 2004).
Charitable foundations
Michael Vick has been a principal in two charitable foundations, the Michael Vick Foundation and The Vick Foundation.
In June 2006, Vick, along with his brother Marcus and mother Brenda, established The Vick Foundation, a nonprofit organization to support at-risk youth and the after school programs that serve them in the Metro Atlanta and Hampton Roads areas. The announcement of the new organization came just before the start of the foundation's first fundraiser, the Michael Vick Golf Classic. The inaugural event was held at the prestigious Kingsmill Golf Course in James City County near Williamsburg, Virginia in partnership with The Virginia Tech Alumni Association Tidewater Chapter, and netted more than $80,000 for charity. According to its 2006 federal tax return, the Michael Vick Foundation provided 100 backpacks to poor children in Newport News and paid for an after-school program in 2006. During the same period the foundation spent 12% of its budget – $20,590 of $171,823 – on charitable programs and paid its fundraiser, Susan Bass Roberts, a former spokeswoman for Vick, $97,000. That foundation ceased operations in 2006. One of Vick's financial advisors withdrew $50,000, most of the remaining funds, from its checking account in 2008.
After the Virginia Tech massacre on April 16, 2007, Vick and the United Way donated $10,000 to assist families affected. The Vick Foundation collected donations from communities in Atlanta and Virginia that will be placed in the United In Caring Fund for Victims of the Virginia Tech Tragedy and the special fund at the United Way of Montgomery, Radford and Floyd counties, which serves the Virginia Tech area. The Vick Foundation said the money would be used to provide help with funeral expenses, transportation for family members and other support services.
In June 2007, the "Michael Vick Football Camp," to be held at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, was canceled for the summer 2007 session. He canceled participation in another football camp to be held at the College of William and Mary and was replaced by Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell.
On June 22, 2007, a charity golf tournament featuring Vick, intended in part to raise scholarships in memory of Virginia Tech's shooting victims, was rescheduled for September.
Documentary series
In the spring of 2010, cable network
BET aired a 10-episode documentary series called
The Michael Vick Project. It chronicled Vick as he was coming to terms with his dogfighting past.
References
External links
Philadelphia Eagles bio
Vick Indicted on Va. Dogfighting Charges on Time.com (a division of Time Magazine)
The Smoking Gun - United States v. Michael Vick, Criminal No. 3:07CR274 (E.D. Va., August 24, 2007) Summary of the facts and plea agreement
Michael Vick CNN
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Category:21st-century American criminals
Category:People from Newport News, Virginia
Category:Players of American football from Virginia
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:National Football League first overall draft picks
Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football players
Category:Atlanta Falcons players
Category:Animal cruelty incidents
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:Ed Block Courage Award recipients
Category:1980 births
Category:Living people
Category:African American players of American football
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