Vick’s Pro Bowl honour isn’t sitting well with some fans
WASHINGTON Since his release from prison in 2009, Michael Vick’s rehabilitation has taken place slowly and steadily. He apologized for his dogfighting past and took up the cause of animal welfare. He has been welcomed back into the NFL and onto television sets.
But for many fans, the Pro Bowl evidently is a step too far. As of Thursday afternoon, more than 500,000 people had signed a Change.org petition demanding Vick be removed as an honorary captain of the Pro Bowl in late January. Another petition, with more than 300,000 signatures, demands the same thing and yet another, which has more than 100,000 signatures, urges sponsors to back out of the Pro Bowl until it drops Vick.
During remarks at the close of this week’s owners meetings outside Dallas, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell weighed in, expressing his support for Vick and suggesting that, despite the outpouring, Vick’s status would not change.
“Over the last nine years or so, I’ve supported Michael and his, I think, recognition of the mistake that he made,” Goodell said. “He’s paid every price for that. He has been accountable for it. He has worked aggressively with the humane society and other institutions to deal with animal rights and to make sure people don’t make the same mistake he made. And I admire that. I know that there are people out there who will never forgive him. He knows that. But I think this is a young man that has really taken his life in a positive direction and we support that.”
Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons star quarterback and No. 1 draft pick out of Virginia Tech, served 18 months in a federal prison for participating in a dogfighting ring.
He was suspended by the NFL and filed for bankruptcy, but he was reinstated in 2009 with former Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid tasked with overseeing his reintroduction into the league. He also played for the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers before retiring as a Falcon in 2017. Since then, Vick has worked with Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs and is now an analyst with Fox Sports.
Other honorary captains selected for the Pro Bowl, which will be played Jan. 26 at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, are Terrell Davis, Darrell Green and Bruce Smith.
Honorary captains are typically involved in events leading up to the game and work with players preparing for it.