On December 10, 2007, Michael Vick entered a federal courthouse in Richmond, Virginia, munching gum and rocking bright white Nike Air Force 1 Mids that happened to match the stripes on his prison uniform.
He was there to be sentenced for his role in a brutal dog fighting ring, which cost him a $100 million NFL contract, a record-breaking contract with Nike, and most importantly, his freedom. He displayed at least a degree of defiance, if not disbelief, even though, for all practical purposes at least, he should have been trying to demonstrate remorse and responsibility.
Federal prosecutors quickly accused Vick of not only crimes in operating Bad News Kennel, but also indiscreet violations, even after he pled guilty and knew all eyes were on him. will reveal the list.
While awaiting sentencing, the government told Judge Henry E. Hudson that Vick had not fully acknowledged some of his actions, had engaged in deceptive practices to cover up others, and claimed that he was certain he had even smoked marijuana the night before his scheduled test, and that he had actually done so. , arrest him.
Even his own friends and family in attendance could only shake their heads, believing the imprisonment was unnecessary. There was a sense of disappointment. This was self-inflicted. All of those possibilities were about to be summoned to Leavenworth.
Vick had arrived that day to be sentenced to 12 to 18 months in prison, and it was assumed he would get the minimum sentence because he had no previous convictions. If that were the case, he could have been out after a little over 10 months and returned to the NFL soon after. Instead, his actions and demeanor caused the sentencing guidelines to jump to 18-24 months.
Vick ended up scoring 23 points, more than any of his co-defendants, many of whom had criminal records. Officers quickly took him outside, handcuffed him, and were in the process of putting him in a cage. His family just cried. This isn’t him, this isn’t Mike, they swore.
“If Michael Vick gets another chance, either in society or in the NFL, I’d be happy to say so,” attorney Billy Martin said on the same day. “He’s going to make the most of it. Deaf,” he said.
Dec. 17 later, in the same state of Virginia where he grew up, where he electrified baseball stadiums from Newport News to Blacksburg and was sentenced, Michael Vick fulfilled his promise as a lawyer with a new title.
coach.
Norfolk State University has reportedly hired the 44-year-old Vick to run its football program, which is just a 30-minute drive from his hometown.
This is the latest chapter in a powerful story of redemption as Vick comes to terms with his actions, fulfills his debt to society, and makes a triumphant return to the NFL, taking his place as a powerful advocate for animal rights. He has gone from being a bad guy to an exemplary leader.
And it’s not over.
The Vick who stood on that courtroom and seemed as untouchable off the field as the quarterback who beat the Green Bay Packers on that cold playoff night in Lambeau is long gone. . The new guy is here to prove himself again.
Will Michael Vick win many games as a college football coach? No one knows.
What seems certain is that his players will benefit from the lessons learned from the roller-coaster life of American football. Good point. Bad point. ugly. From the rise, to the scandal, to the slow, hard-fought comeback.
There is no denying the cruelty that Vic showed his dogs. Nor should we underestimate the shock it feels when someone at the peak of a brilliant career ends up on such a sad and twisted path.
But what Vic proves is that no one should completely define the worst moments, at least not the most reprehensible. They actually have the most to give.
His seven-season return to the NFL after his incarceration (including five games as a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles) was encouraging enough.
However, athletes tend to take such shots. If you can play, someone will definitely forgive you.
What Vic did with that opportunity was more than that. It wasn’t just that he was back to form, or close enough to his time in Atlanta.
His professionalism, work ethic and humility won over the locker room and coaches, including Andy Reid and Mike Tomlin. His teammates saw him as not only a player who could score touchdowns, but a player they could trust.
He was on the brink. He returned safely.
After ending his career in 2015, Vic devoted himself to philanthropy. That was always the case, especially at his old Newport News Boys and Girls Club. He worked as an anchor for Fox Sports but wanted to do more because he believed he had more to offer.
So now he joins Deion Sanders (Jackson State University) and Eddie George (Tennessee State University) as the NFL’s greatest HBCU coaches.
Years after the most spectacular fall in American sports hit rock bottom, Michael Vick has continued one of its great comebacks, a life of redemption for all to see.
Coach Vick, Norfolk State, he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.
