Vick: Never thought I'd see $100 million again
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Vick: Never thought I'd see $100 million again
Jeff McLane and Jonathan Tamari
Michael Vick went back to Leavenworth.
After the press conference, and the cameras and the handshakes and hugs, Vick sat down in a quiet office, leaned back in a chair and reflected on where he was and where he is now. Three years ago, he was in a federal prison. Today the quarterback signed a six-year contract with the Eagles worth $100 million -- his second nine-figure deal.
"I used to sit in my prison bunker and be like, '100 million -- I'll never see that again,'" Vick said to The Inquirer. "You know, because you're getting up there in age. I was 29 when I got out and I thought if I could just get a fraction of that -- maybe 25 ... 30. That would be good. That would be good. I just got it to where I know I'm going to have to work.
"So just mentally what I put myself through and how it just seem like in the blink of an eye I'm sitting right here right now. But even over the duration of those two years it was a long time. But it was all worth it, man. It was a lot of hard work, sacrifice."
Vick, of course, lost nearly everything he had when he was charged and convicted of running a dogfighting operation in 2007 -- football, freedom and much of the ten-year, $130 million contract he signed with the Falcons in 2004.
But he got it all back and is now the first NFL player ever to ink two nine-figure deals. There have been eight nine-figure contracts in the history of the league. Vick has two. The Eagles have handed out two, the other going to Donovan McNabb.
"Breaking barriers," Vick said. "I'm always breaking barriers."
While Vick could theoretically earn $100 million from the deal, it is unlikely. The sixth year voids if he participates in more than 35 percent of the snaps in any year of the deal, a league source said. There would be no way the Eagles keep Vick around for a sixth season if he played less than 35 percent of the snaps for five years.
The Eagles and Vick agreed to the deal on Monday afternoon, but Vick said he did not go out and celebrate. Instead he stayed home with his fiance, Kijafa Frink, and his children and watched the movie "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."
"I just chilled in the house with the kids and the family," Vick said. "That's just me -- conservative."
Vick was extra conservative driving to the NovaCare Complex Tuesday morning for practice and then to put his signature on the future.
"I made sure I put my seat belt on," Vick said. "I made sure I did that. Extra precaution."
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He WAS a scumbag. Big difference.— tpizza- Comment removed.
- WELL THESE COMMENTS DONT SOUND LIKE OPINIONS, THEY SOUND LIKE BASHING TO ME. ITS COOL THO ALL IN FUN, BUT ITS FUNNY HOW FANS JUMP ON AND OFF THE WAGON, WELL GUESS WHAT, WHEN VICK IS KICKING A@#!!! AND CAUSING DEFENSIVE FITS,STICK WITH YOUR NEGATIVE COMMENTS, BECAUSE IM RIDING THE WAGON TO THE SUPERBOWL. ALL MY REAL FANS HOP ON WITH ME. DAM SHAME, BASHING YOUR OWN QB, WOULD YALL HAVE BEEN SATISFIED IF WE GAVE TY DETMER 100MILLION?— ray rhodes
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- I wonder what the reaction would be on this board if the eagles had traded him before the 2010 season (as they had planned), and he went off and did what he did last year with another team.— jl4045801
- One of the best things about sports? Idiot, angry, bitter, envious fans don't get to make decisions for professional teams. Most of you yahoos can't even run your own households let alone a billion dollar franchise.— kevmack
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- HEY SNAPPER DO YOU WANT MIKE VICK TO GO BACK TO JAIL? I GUESS ALL THE WORK HES PUT IN DOESNT MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU. WELL GUESS WHAT,HES WORTH ALOT TO PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, THATS WHY THEY GAVE HIM THAT MONEY, HOW MUCH YOU GOT!!!— ray rhodes
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good comment, madaboutit. if you're an eagles fan you're gonna root for the eagles and their QB, whoever he is, however much money he makes or doesn't make or whatever.— Leegles- Comment removed.
- THANK YOU LEEGLES, THATS MY POINT AS WELL, WHEN FANS COMMENT ON HERE YOU WONDER ARE THEY REAL FANS OR ARE THEY RACIST!!MY GOSH YOUR SUPPOSED TO STICK WITH YOUR QB AND TEAM. AGAIN, MIKE DID HIS TIME FOR HIS CRIME. MY GOD HE DIDNT KILL NO ONE LIKE DONTE STALLWOTH!!! SORRY ABOUT THE DOGS BUT MOST OF YOU DONT LIKE PIT BULLS ANYWAY. PIT BULLS ARE MAINLY VIEWED AS URBAN CITY DOGS!!!AND MOST OF YOU DONT CARE WHAT GOES ON IN INNER CITYS ANYWAY. DONT GET ME CONFUSED, WHAT HE DID WAS WRONG NOW LET IT GO, AND FOCUS ON MIKE VICK BRINGING US A CHAMPIONSHIP!!!— ray rhodes
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- Look guys: If you think about it, this is one of the best chances this team has had to win the big one since 2004-2005. (they beat Vick & the Falcons to get there, remember?) Anyway, look at the good points, we have a nice receiving corps, nice running game (we need to USE IT!!!!) Defense is OK. Sure, there are some concerns - (O-Line, MLB positions, new Def coordinator.) If these things get worked out, The birds are gonna be a SERIOUS powerhouse!!!! Stop the fair weather stuff!!!! Show America we are NOT the ignorant sad sack fans they think we are. Let's get behind this team!!! If the Phils can do it, the Eagles can too!— madaboutit
