Michael Vick (born June 26, 1980 in Newport News, Virginia) is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons NFL franchise.
Vick played college football for Virginia Tech and as a red-shirted freshman led the Hokies to the 2000 Bowl Championship Series national title game in the Nokia Sugar Bowl against Florida State University.
In 2001, the Atlanta Falcons selected him as the 1st overall pick in the NFL College Draft. On January 4, 2003, the Atlanta Falcons led by Michael Vick stunned the Green Bay Packers by breaking the undefeated streak for the Packers at Lambeau Field in the playoffs. During a 2003 pre-season game against the Baltimore Ravens, Michael Vick fractured his right fibula and missed most of the 2003 NFL season. Upon his return, the Falcons beat the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars, going 3-1.
EA Sports chose Michael Vick to be on the cover for their popular Madden NFL 2004 football video game.
Michael Vick was awarded the Heismen Trophy his freshmen year at Virginia Tech
As a grade schooler, Michael Vick showed promise in baseball and basketball. But by junior high his adolescent ways got the best of him, and he became a disciplinary problem for his teachers. His mother pushed him to get involved with an after-school activity. He chose football, and basically gave up all other sports in the ninth grade.
Michael Vick first came to prominence while at Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia. Although he was, arguably, somewhat overshadowed by quarterback Ronald Curry of Hampton High School in Hampton, Virginia, who would earn Gatorade National Football Player of the Year honors (he was also a first team Parade All-American in basketball). Curry would go on to play at the University of North Carolina. Due to a disappointing collegiate career, however, Curry's stock, as it pertains to the NFL, dropped significantly, and he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 7th round of the 2002 NFL draft as a wide receiver and kick returner.
After high school, Michael Vick attended Virginia Tech, and as a redshirt freshman in 1999, he led the Virginia Tech Hokies to an 11-0 season and to the 2000 Bowl Championship Series national title game in the Nokia Sugar Bowl against Florida State University. Although Virginia Tech lost, 46-29, Vick was able to bring the team back from a 21 point deficit to take a brief lead.
Michael Vick's sophomore season was among the most anticipated in college football history. Although a severe ankle sprain kept Vick from living up to the intense media hype, it did have its share of highlights, such as his career rushing high of 210 yards against the Boston College Eagles in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. After finishing with a 11-1 record and a Gator Bowl MVP award in 2001, Mike decided to take his game to the NFL.
Ironically, despite not having played baseball since the eighth grade, Michael Vick was selected by Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies in the 30th round of the 2000 draft.
In 2001, the Atlanta Falcons traded receiver Tim Dwight and several draft picks to the San Diego Chargers for their number one selection spot in the NFL draft. Eventually, San Diego selected Texas Christian running back LaDainian Tomlinson with one of those traded spots. The Falcons selected Michael Vick as the first overall pick, and he made his NFL debut against the San Francisco 49ers.
On January 4, 2003, the Vick-led Atlanta Falcons upset the favored Green Bay Packers 27-7 in the NFC playoffs, ending the Packers' undefeated streak at Lambeau Field.
However, during a pre-season game against the Baltimore Ravens later that year, Michael Vick fractured his right fibula and missed most of the the regular season. Upon his return, the Falcons beat the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars, going 3-1 in the final four games of the 2003 season. In 2004, he led the Falcons to a record of 11-5, earning a first-round bye in the NFL Playoffs for only the third time in franchise history. The Falcons' 2004 season ended with a defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Conference Championship game. Many would argue that Michael Vick has revolutionized the quarterback position and has nearly single-handedly transformed the Falcons from a team with a spotty reputation to one of the rising franchises in the NFL, and Vick's #7 jersey has become one of the best-selling pieces of NFL apparel. Vick has also become a focal point in the growing rivalry between the Falcons and Carolina Panthers.
Vick is noted for his unique, explosive playing style. He is considered by many to be the most exciting player in the game of football and he has earned the nickname "Superman". Gifted with tremendous speed and mobility, he can engineer big plays with both his arm and his legs. Notable is the fact that while he throws left-handed, he is otherwise right-handed. In the 2004 football season (including post season), he rushed for over 1,000 yards, which is a higher rushing total than many running backs in the NFL. Vick's mobility has often caused major problems for opposing defenses, which have to defend against him differently than they would against a conventional-style quarterback. Whereas most quarterbacks are not a major threat to run the ball for a lot of yards, Vick is capable of breaking huge runs from anywhere on the field. Additionally, he has often been able to buy more time to throw by evading pass rushers with his spectacular agility and speed. Thus, opposing defenses must find ways to constrict Vick's running lanes in order to contain him. His speed always makes him a danger for opposing defenses, and the Falcons are one of the few teams in the NFL to have a large number of specifically-designed running plays for their quarterback.
While Michael Vick's athleticism is virtually unparalleled, a frequent criticism is that he puts himself at unnecessary risk of injury and has poor fundamental skills. Critics cite the leg fracture he suffered in the 2003 pre-season and a knee injury he suffered early in the current season (which reoccurred a few weeks later), that has hampered his mobility throughout the year as prime evidence that Vick needs to learn to "pick his spots", citing the example of Steve Young, another mobile left-handed signal-caller who had a mediocre professional career before being placed in an offensive system that optimized his talents. Young eventually won two Super Bowls and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
Vick's backup, Matt Schaub, another native Virginian, filled in admirably while he was recuperating.
In a November, 2005 press conference, Michael Vick scoffed at the notion that he was a weak "pocket" passer. But, ironically, Vick's knee problem forced him to become more of a pocket passer, and his quarterback rating has improved dramatically since his return.
Many critics have stated that, while Michael Vick has a powerful arm, his passes are not nearly as accurate as other top quarterbacks in the league, such as Cincinnati's Carson Palmer or Indianapolis' Peyton Manning, both of whom have better quarterback ratings. But, other pundits also believe that the Falcons are relatively weak in quality wide receivers. To help remedy this, the Falcons acquired former Buffalo Bills wideout Peerless Price prior to the 2003 season in hopes that he could give Vick a legitimate "deep threat" target. But Price was a massive disappointment, catching just six touchdowns passes over the course of two seasons. He was released by the organization prior to the 2005 season. Arguably, Vick's favorite target is tight end Alge Crumpler, a very good receiver, but certainly no speedster. Some critics have countered that it's unfair to cast the blame on the receivers alone, since Vick remains the common denominator in the Falcons offense.
A few critics have been far harsher, labeling Michael Vick an athlete who happens to play quarterback rather than a true quarterback. His best passing season came in 2002, when he amassed a quarterback rating of only 81.6. In many fantasy football leagues, Vick is often used as a backup quarterback — an odd place for someone often praised as being the most exciting player in the NFL. Some fans have also reacted negatively to the constant media hype that surrounds Vick, and feel that an over-exuberant American sports media anointed Michael Vick as the best player in football long before he deserved such an accolade.
However, regardless of the controversy that surrounds his playing style, Michael Vick continues to woo crowds with his explosive style of play.