Vick gets six-year, $100 million deal
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Vick gets six-year, $100 million deal
Jeff McLane
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.
Next is Jackson for a long term deal.— phillies09- welp..the vick haters will be in here real soon to comment on this! lmao— bigjay215
- Pathetic. You can't distinguish the difference between criticism and hating. One can actually think Vick isn't a good QB because he's actually not a good QB opposed to not thinking he's good because of past indiscretions that he paid his price for. Stop being a child. — Eagle GREEN Mt State
- Look four posts down. Who seems like the child now? The guy who called it correctly or you?
- That's ignorance not criticism. You clearly can't tell the difference either. — Eagle GREEN Mt State
Comment removed.- In the immortal words of Andrew Reid and to all the Vick haters
"Times Yours"
LMAO— Facts before ignorance - I hope Jackson gets a long term deal but would not be suprised if they waited and used the franchise tag on him after this year. So glad Vick got the 6 year deal to be the face of the Philadelphia Eagles.— briandawkins20
- speechless.— bill the pill
- Dog Killer isen't worth one penny........Hope he gets hurt this year! Go Giants!— MRD
- But he got millions LOL LOL LOL, You don't even get it do you, think about your wishes LOL LOL — charmaine
- But he got millions LOL LOL LOL, You don't even get it do you, think about your wishes LOL LOL — charmaine
- Good for Vick. FOR ALL YOU CLOWNS THAT WANTED JEFF GARCIA
SMOKE ON THAT LOL!!!
I TOLD YOU PEOPLE VICK WOULD SHINE AGAIN!!— elijah29 - "shine" ha! You mean the pick he threw to lose to GB? Is that shining? Oh no, you mean how he's just lighting it up this pre season? Yep, shining just like he did in Atlanta. Low completetion rate, lots of INTs and bad decisions all over the filed. Yep, shining!? — Eagle GREEN Mt State
- Now that he's got his money, and his creditors and "debt to society" have been resolved, he will revert back to his old self. Just watch.— UncleEddie
