Vick gets six-year, $100 million deal
Michael Vick's return to prominence is now complete.
Vick gets six-year, $100 million deal
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Michael Vick's return to prominence is now complete.
The Eagles and Vick have agreed to a six-year, $100 million contract with $40 million guaranteed, league sources confirmed Monday night.
The team later announced the deal, first reported by Andrew Brandt of ESPN.
The 31-year-old Vick is signed through the 2016 season. In 2007, he lost nearly everything when he was convicted on dogfighting charges and sent to prison. In the last 12 months he's gotten nearly everything -- a starting job, endorsement deals and a blockbuster contract -- back.
"I'm very happy we were able to reach an agreement with Michael on this long-term contract," Eagles coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "It's a product of all the hard work Michael has done to better himself over the last couple of years, both on and off the field. I'm very proud that he has been able to achieve success again in this league, but he'll be the first one to tell you that there is a lot of work yet to be done by him and this team as a whole. And there's no doubt in my mind that he will continue on that path. I give a lot of credit to Joe Banner and Joel Segal for getting this deal done."
Banner, the Eagles president, and Segal, Vick's agent, negotiated the contract. Vick did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Vick's deal makes him among the highest-paid players in the game -- again. His per year base salary of $16.7 million is less than only Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ($18.01) and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning ($18 million).
Brady signed a reported five-year, $78.5 million contract with $48.5 million guaranteed in Sept. 2009. Manning's deal came last month when he inked a reported five-year, $90 million contract with $54.4 million of that guaranteed.
In 2005, the Falcons signed the 2001 No. 1 overall draft pick to a 10-year, $130 million contract. Two years later Vick forfeited most of the remaining money on the deal when he was charged with running a dogfighting operation. He eventually filed for bankruptcy while serving an 18-month prison term. Vick is still in bankruptcy and owes creditors millions.
This six-year deal replaces the one-year franchise tender Vick signed in March. The Eagles had until Sept. 20 to give Vick a new contract or they would have had to wait under after the season to re-sign him. All signs, however, pointed to something getting done.
Vick would have made $16.2 million from the one-year tender, but the Eagles locked him up on Monday, confirming their commitment to him as their franchise quarterback. They also trimmed his 2011 figure to $14.4, clearing some salary cap space.
With Vick done, the Eagles could now turn their sights to DeSean Jackson, who wants a new contract. The wide receiver, in the last year of a four-year contract that will net him roughly $600,000, held out from the first 11 days of training camp.
If if wasn't clear before, however, it is now: Vick is the face of the Eagles franchise. It's a remarkable turn of events. Signed in Aug. 2009 to a two-year deal, Vick came to the Eagles in a cloud of controversy. He spent most of his first season in Philadelphia as the third-string quarterback and occasional Wildcat weapon.
When the Eagles traded away then-franchise quarterback Donovan McNabb to Washington in April, 2010, Kevin Kolb was named the starter and Vick his backup. But when Kolb suffered a concussion in the season opener, Vick came in and nearly guided the Eagles to a comeback victory. He won in the next two games as Kolb recovered and was named the starter soon after.
He went 8-3 as a starter as the Eagles won the NFC East crown. He had statistically his best season with career highs in passer rating (100.2), completion percentage (62.6) and passing yards (3,018). He earned his fourth career Pro Bowl nod and was named the 2010 Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press, Sporting News, and Pro Football Weekly.
In January, he signed with two small companies in endorsement deals and was welcomed back by Nike in July.
The Eagles have a press conference with Vick and Reid scheduled for Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
The jury is still out on ur boy Vick...$100 mill is crazy...defenses scouted him and figured him out late in the season. I'm not seeing it...And for those who just criticized McNabb, know this, we never back-doored the playoffs except for 1 year under DMac...Last year we got in because the NFC East was trash. 10-6 and we won the div???— arrowmg- Yeah we'll see if he is worth the cash. 40 mil guaranteed geez
— PHAZED - I'm all for second chances, but there's something seriously wrong when a convicted felon not only gets $100 million contract and not only recovers everything he lost when convicted, but also comes out WAY ahead!— ANGRY AL 2
- Vick's past discretions aside, I don't see how this is a good deal for the Eagles. Six years - too long. $100 mil - too much. Certainly not a bargain. 4 years at $50 mil might be more in line with his past production. As a lot of posters have said previously, when's the last time he has won an important game that really matters? Ever? We'll see how this one turns out - Briliant move? Or another Eagles front office blunder...— philly2sf
- This means we are stuck with six years of Eagles end of the year collapses, (like under Donovan NcChoke) and pitiful excuse by the Philadelphia Racist Society. Luckily, Reid can be fired at the end of this season.— marioP
- Now that you got Killer done, please take care of #10. And then Killer better hit him in stride plenty.— PhillySubsMac
- the Dog lovers and Vick Haters should be happy, chances are that if Vick is hit like he was last year behind the Eagles Line he won't live to see 6 years in Philly.— Dexter
- I bet he doesn't last 10 games, much less 10 years. And that in 20, he'll be a broke dogfighter.— karma star
- Dog Killer...I am now oficially a Steelers fan after 52 Years of Eagles Heartbreak....— adamdude77
- Before this topic degenerates into conversations about redemption and haters, the facts are these: Vick faltered at the end of the season - terribly. Yes he was great in his first eight games, but heck, the real question in the NFL is can you keep it up when everybody learns your weaknesses. I don't hear anybody even mentioning the meltdown against the Vikings and a third string QB. Vick was deplorable, and I'm one of his biggest fans. I've followed him since VTech and have always considered him my favorite player. But 100 million??? I sure hope he and the Eagles prove me wrong. . .but that is a lot of money. What if he gets severely injured in year one or two and he can't be traded? I don't know about this one.— asonepraise
- For those of you begrudging his contractual success, how do you justify Kevin Kolb earning 12 Million last year? How do you come to odds with Vick's $12 Million a year, and not have a problem with Kolb's $12 Million for holding a clip board?
There's no way Kolb could have accomplished as much as Vick with the same team.
Besides, the NFL has made more than Vick's salary in the sales of his Jersey since he's been designated Starter.
D Jax has to get paid handsomely for similar reasons.— Dexter - Heaven help Andy Reid and Joe Banner if this blows up in their faces.— SteveS11
- Wow We signed Vick aren't we special.— Bubba James
- Eagles......the team with a dog killer as their QB for the Future! I'd like to see some Super Bowls..........Like that will really happen! Look who has the Championships! Its the team up the turnpike in Norther NJ. Thats all I have to say! Enjoy your loser QB!— MRD
- Eagle GREEN Mt State are u a hater? i dont see where i singled u out. U dont know me to know what i can or cant do. U have every right to criticism just like i say andy reid has a horrible philosophy and the linebackers suck, but i'm talking about haters that cant get over what vick did and wishes bodily harm on him over freaking animals..smh. If that doesnt apply to u then why even respond?
— bigjay215
