NFL: Vick's Eagles decision his own
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
NFL: Vick's Eagles decision his own
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Pittsburgh, Pa. -- In a recent interview with GQ, that was posted on the magazine's website today, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick said that he did not originally want to sign with the Eagles after he was released from prison, but that commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL steered him away from options like the Bengals and Bills and toward Philadelphia.
Since Vick's comments were reported, the league has been criticized for interfering in the process of where Vick would sign, post-incarceration.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, responded to those allegations with the following statement, delivered in an e-mail:
"Michael Vick's decision on where to play to put himself in the best position to succeed was entirely his own. Commissioner Goodell obviously met and spoke to Michael and his representatives as part of his decision on whether to reinstate Michael and on what terms. But the commissioner would never steer players to or away from particular teams and did not do so in this case."
Vick then issued the following statement through an Eagles spokesman:
"I felt it was necessary to put out a statement today clarifying the article in GQ Magazine. I did speak with many people, but the decision to sign in Philadelphia was based on my discussions with my agent, my family and with Coach Reid. And after those discussions, it became clear to me that this was the place I wanted to play and resume my NFL career. The Commissioner never told me to sign or not sign with particular teams. Again, I want to make it perfectly clear that this was a decision I made and, as I have said numerous times before, I'm very happy with the way it has worked out for me and my family."
Vick, in the interview with GQ, said that he preferred Cincinnati and Buffalo, at first, because he would have been a deep reserve with the Eagles.
"I think I can say this now, because it's not going to hurt anybody's feelings, and it's the truth. . . . I didn't want to come to Philadelphia. Being the third-team quarterback is nothing to smile about. Cincinnati and Buffalo were better options," Vick said.
But Vick said that Roger Goodell and others persuaded him to sign with the Eagles, a more stable team and out of the spotlight. "I commend and thank them, because they put me in the right situation," Vick said.
Some Bengals and Bills fans are apparently upset over the perceived slight, including former Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas, who questioned Goodell and the league office during a call to WGR radio.
"It goes all against what the commissioner has been trying to do," Thomas said. "It's like another slap in the face to the Buffalo Bills. I'm upset about it. I want to know what the whole idea was about wanting him to go to Philadelphia and not Buffalo or Cincinnati. I think [Bills owner Ralph] Wilson needs to give the Commissioner a call and see what happened.
"It was wrong. I think there needs to be an investigation."
I see no problem with Goodell steering this decision. It probably was Vick's decision in the end, but he knew it was in his interest to listen to the league office. Cincinnati is not where you go these days to get good quarterback coaching and avoid scrapes with the law.
At this point it's not Mike's history that sells magazines for GQ. It's what he's done on the field. He is in some ways the most respected guy in the NFL among players, and a fan favorite as well.
I'm not a huge fan of his, but I like his honesty in interviews.— armchairGM- Mike it doesn't help just stop doing national interviews because whatever you say will just be twisted around. Let you play do the talking.— ronrapllc
- Goodell pushed Vick to the Eagles because McNabb was on his way out, and the Eagles already had the best offence in fooball....Goodell knew Vick would excel in this great offence and become THE FACE OF THE NFL.— frank105
- Don't know why Bills and Bungles fans are so upset. If he goes there and they win an extra game or two per year, They are still the two worst teams/franchises in the league.— barefoot
- Poor Donovan McNabb was the patsy and was set-up.....McNabb thought Vick was coming here to be the 3rd string quarterback...but Vick was sent here to excel in this great offense and become.. THE FACE OF THE NFL.— frank105
- I don't like where this is going at all, this is the kind of comment that could grow legs real fast and the next thing you know it's a scandal. Unfortunately, Mike can't take his original comment back, though at this point every article I have seen does not have a quote, "", from Vick with Roger's name in it. NFL.com quotes him as saying he was talking with Goodell and others about his reinstatement and with no quote says apparently they advised him to come to Philly. Mike is now backing off quickly, but the other teams involved are getting angrier the more they think about it and soon there will have to be an accurate quote from Mike containing exactly what he said. Retracting now is not going to work, as we all know you can't unring a bell. I just hope it turns out his actual quote was more on the lines of, "Yeh, Roger thought Philly would be a good fit" and not, "Roger strongly urged me to sign in Philly and thought that the added pressure of being counted on more to produce right away in Cincy or Buffalo would be too much for me." The only positive here is that this has the potential to blow the "Dream Team" comment off the map. I can't believe he actually led this with "I think I can say this now, because it's not going to hurt anybody's feelings, and it's the truth," Looks like the NFL is trying to spin this that the right thing was done in the end and it was good advice. Since when does Philly become the favorite of anyone? I saw comments from Banner earlier saying he felt a little conflicted voting for the lockout when he knew then it would help the Eagles' free agency plans. These guys are talking TOO much now, watch, the rest of the league is going to start putting us in the cheaters boat with New England and receiving favoritism with Dallas. The bullseye on our backs just keeps getting bigger . . .— EagleEye61
- I agree with what you're saying about the bullseye on the back and all. I think it was going to be there anyway with all the FA's we picked up. The comments like "oh, the Eagles are trying to be the Yankees" and such were flying as they were picking off FA after FA. Here's the thing...everybody goes after Dallas and NE (I do too!), but the thing is....they won Super Bowls and we didn't. I'm at the point as a fan (and i think the Eagles front office is as well)...just win the damn SB...whatever it takes. Even though we wish these players...Young...Vick...whomever... would shut up, they are inundated with question after question...sometimes the same ones repeated in a different way. Eventually, they say something stupid. — CTeaglefn
- Non Story trying to be made into one. You have to read a lot into that statement to say that he was steered to the eagles. Sounds more like they told him being a third QB in his position was not as bad as he thought. The Bengals and Bills should just be happy that they have not had their franchises taken from them as bad as they have been run.— eaglessuperfan
- Vick admitted that NFL boss Goddell pushed him to the Eagles, read the magazine article quote below:
"I think I can say this now, because it's not going to hurt anybody's feelings, and it's the truth. . . . I didn't want to come to Philadelphia. Being the third-team quarterback is nothing to smile about. Cincinnati and Buffalo were better options," Vick said.
But he told GQ that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and others persuaded him to sign with the Eagles, a more stable team where he could begin as a backup, out of the spotlight. "I commend and thank them, because they put me in the right situation," Vick said.
— frank105 - All Vick meant, and the vicious dbags in the press know this, was that Goodell gave him some advice. "You know, Mike, what I would do if I were you..." - that kind of thing. They didn't force him to do anything, but they suggested he take a more adult look at his situation. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!
But as usual, the press will take this slight misstatement and run wild with it until it become a full blown mess.
As for MV7...WAKE UP MIKE! These people will turn you into the next TO or Tiger Woods as fast as they can. Stay away from the press and interviews like these or you will see your reborn career become a stillborn one.
Freedom of the Press is a wonderful thing...except for the fact that we are talking about the American press.— croozn - My take on this is that Goodell was probably telling Vick that he should ease himself back and not try to be the face of a franchise too quickly. Had he gone to either the Bills or the Bengals (another reason Palmer should be ticked off), he would have been expected to come right out of the chute and be the leader (when he just wasn't ready to be). Philly offered him an opportunity to ease back into the public and the NFL without having to carry the load of a team on his back. In my view, coming back as a third qb showed that he was humbled. Had he come back as a #1 qb with the Bengals or Bills, the backlash in those cities (where they are basically struggling to keep their franchises ...well, at least the Bills are) would have been tremendous (it was bad enough in philly!). Imagine all the pressure... he would have done something stupid again. In Philly, he wasn't expected to be "the guy"...just rebuild his life and maybe...just maybe, eventually be "the guy". Lo and behold...he's "the guy".— CTeaglefn
- Just when people don't hate him as much, he opens his mouth!— ej610
- Vick said NFL boss Goodell PERSUADED him to sign with the Eagles.— frank105
- Do any of you people that are so upset actually think the Bengals or Bills would have accepted Vick? If I recall, there were only a couple of teams that would even consider taking him sat the time because of the potential for negative backlash. Now that he's a star again, everybody wants to say they would have taken him in with open arms.— dlscholt
- Vick has been a model citizen to date, but this article was not the best of ideas, nor was it necessary...checking out the 120 posts on the actual GQ article and its quotes...I'm hoping the team will not feel the distractions that the fans are having presently...wonder where the 7 working PR people were on this one?— bearsfriend
