Ben’s Sports Take: He’s baaaaack...did you miss him?
Michael Vick is a starting quarterback in the NFL again, but will the city of Atlanta ever forgive him?
We all remember the rise and fall of one Michael Vick.
Drafted number one overall in the 2001 NFL Draft, Vick quickly became the city’s most recognizable athlete thanks to his thrilling play on the field and his undeniable marketability off it.
One not-so-clever prescription alias, one failed drug-smuggling attempt and one obscene gesture later, the former Falcons quarterback found himself on the proverbial hot seat here in Atlanta.
But before Vick had the opportunity to win back a fan base that he once held in the palm of his hand, authorities in Virginia discovered Vick’s illegal operation and funding of Bad Newz Kennels—perhaps the most infamous dog fighting ring in American history.
On December 11, 2007, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison and subsequently exiled from the Falcons organization.
Nearly three years later, Vick has resurfaced in Philadelphia and following an impressive performance this past Sunday—his first NFL start since December 31, 2006—was named as the Eagles starting quarterback.
Vick, now 30 years old, is trying to resurrect a football career, and personal life, that just about every person with the ability to voice their own opinion agreed was undeniably irreparable.
The question is: Will you root for Vick to prove us all wrong?