clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Update: Michael Vick may retire as an Atlanta Falcon, who knows, I guess

The athletic Falcons legend is hanging it up, and he'll do it with the team that drafted him.

New Orleans Saints v Atlanta Falcons Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Michael Vick was a #1 overall pick, one of the most electrifying quarterbacks in NFL history, and a deeply divisive figure. He was also a Falcon for a long time, and now it appears he'll retire as one.

Per a conversation with 92.9 The Game, Vick plans to sign a one-day contract to retire with the Falcons, though the two sides are still in talks.

UPDATE: 11 Alive in Atlanta has interviewed Vick, and it appears we all might have taken this thing and run with it a bit too much.

I still think there’s a very good chance this gets done, because there’s little risk of the Falcons facing widespread blowback ten years after Vick’s messy departure from the team, and Vick clearly wants it to happen. But we’ll file this one away for a bit. At least it added some excitement to our Saturday.

What follows is content from the original post. Hey, Vick is still more or less retired.

Vick's career with Atlanta was up and down, to say the least, but his best moments were brilliant. He dragged a semi-dangerous roster to the playoffs multiple times, including an NFC Conference Championship Game, and had perhaps the most dynamic skill set we'll ever see at the position. I doubt anyone breaks his quarterback rushing yards records, and his highlight reels remain bonkers. He'll remain a legend as long as football is played in Atlanta, for good reason. Look at some of these plays.

Vick’s cannon arm, ability to fit the ball into the tiniest imaginable windows, and willingness to punish teams with his foot speed made him incredibly dangerous. There were times where his receiving corps was basically Alge Crumpler and some bodies at wide receiver, and it hardly ever mattered. He was that rare player who elevated everyone around him and struck fear into opposing defenses by himself.

The lows included inconsistent play, a middle finger aimed at fans who may have deserved it, and Vick's role in a dogfighting ring that earned him a suspension, his release from the Falcons, and jail time. Vick went on to enjoy a solid career with other teams—his first Eagles season might have been the finest campaign of his career—but he's a Falcon first and foremost, and time has made most fans more willing to embrace him for the complex, gifted player he was.

It's cool to see Vick hanging it up as a Falcon, and we'll see if he winds up involved with the team in some capacity going forward. We wish him well in retirement, and