Standby folks, this Eagles’ flight has finally steadied after going through some rough turbulence.
After taking off with the Atlanta Falcons as the number one pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, the Michael Vick flight was on a smooth ride for six great seasons.
Three Pro Bowl Seasons.
A big playoff win over Brett Favre’s Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field.
The richest contract for an NFL player at the end of 2004.
Despite the great take off and cruising at a nice altitude, the seat belt sign flashes on as a heavy amount of turbulence was ahead for him.
Then came the onslaught:
Shocking revelations of irreprehensible treatment to dogs.
Illegal activity with the money earned from that “richest player in the NFL” contract.
Federal investigations and trials.
To say that the former Virginia Tech quarterback was in a swirling mass of controversy is an understatement. The superstar completely fell off the face of the earth as he went from being one of the most loved athletes to being one of the most loathed criminals.
Everyone believed that the former Falcons quarterback would be done from football with no ability to stay in gridiron shape with a 23-month prison sentence slapped upon him. With such negative press, mental anguish and bankruptcy issues weighing heavily upon him, there was no way Vick would make it back to the NFL, let alone become a starting quarterback again.
Three years later, Vick has come full circle and emerged as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles in his second year with the team.
First off, the down-on-his-luck quarterback should be praised and commended for working hard to get back to where he has gotten to. No matter what the future may hold for this guy, he has successfully gotten his flight pattern back on track.
To go through what Vick has since everything came out and end up back on top is unprecedented. Most human beings would have crashed and burned immediately once the storm started brewing, including most athletes.
Flight number seven has kept his wings up high and continued to push through all the turbulence since rejoining the NFL.
He humbly accepted being the third string quarterback on a team with one of the greatest quarterbacks even in Donovan McNabb and a young apprentice in Kevin Kolb anxiously awaiting his turn at the Eagles helm.
His play early on was some of the worst quarterbacking the public has ever seen from Vick. He appeared no longer to be the nearly invincible running machine he once was loaded with one of the strongest arms at his disposal.
Despite the dreadful performances, Vick vehemently worked hard to improve as a quarterback. He patiently studied his playbook as much as possible and honed his ability to become a better quarterback, especially in his passing accuracy.
He also worked to reduce the off-the-field problems that were a part of his life before his jail time. Although there was a nightclub shooting incident he was supposedly involved in (but later relieved from the investigation), his life outside of football appears to have matured.
In one crazy flight that has spanned three years, Vick has gone through a variety of conditions to now the possibility of becoming better than ever. Only time will tell if he can remain the starter in Philadelphia or if his career will continue to ascend higher than its current position.
No matter what though, Michael Vick can say he has landed victoriously after a turbulent trip.
The Eagle Has Landed: Michael Vick Has Returned Vic-“Torious”
