Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced this morning to 23 months in federal prison. Under federal law, he'll have to serve 85 percent of his sentence and he'll be eligible to spend the last month of the sentence in a halfway house. Overall, he's likely to get out of prison some time in the spring or summer of 2009 -- early enough in the year that he could report in time for an NFL training camp.
But that's not going to happen. Vick is currently serving an "indefinite" suspension, courtesy of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. And although at some point Goodell is likely to change "indefinite" to a specific period of time, there's no way Goodell wants Vick walking out of prison and into an NFL team's practice facility. I'd be shocked if Vick isn't suspended for at least a full year beyond his prison term.
That means he's going to miss a bare minimum of three full NFL seasons, and at that point, I just don't see any team wanting him. By the time training camps open for the 2010 season, Vick will be 30 years old, rusty as a passer, and guaranteed to turn whatever training camp he plays in into a circus. NFL coaches just don't want to deal with a player like that.
Vick will be a free man in a year and a half. But he won't be an NFL player ever again.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 9)
1. I think his indefinite suspension should be upheld. I think it looks bad on the NFL to have convicts all over the place. These are young kids idols.
Posted at 12:11PM on Dec 10th 2007 by nikkicookers
2. I agree with nikki.
Posted at 12:12PM on Dec 10th 2007 by FitConnect.com - Fitness Social Networking
3. i disagree. vick will be old news by then and the world will have moved on to the next big thing. no circuses, just a question of how slow is 40 time is after prison...
Posted at 12:13PM on Dec 10th 2007 by travy
4. I hope Goodell will ban Vick from football for all the lies, gambling, drug use and animal cruelty. If he wants to redeem himself, he should team up with HUmane Society and help educating younsters in schools. Cruel is not cool!!
Posted at 12:16PM on Dec 10th 2007 by Havok
5. Way too leniant! High profile cases like this seem to make lawmakers stupid. Vick did much more than participate in the actual dog fighting. He funded it, approved it, helped dispose of the bodies and gambled on it. I think it sends out a bad message to young sports stars that consequence is small when you're a star! I hope his cellmates have fun with him.
Posted at 12:28PM on Dec 10th 2007 by David
6. Lets just hope that ALL the other sports leagues learn from this and DEMAND from all their participants that ANY involvement in ANY extra-curricular activities of this nature will automatically terminate the careers of the participants without pay and endorsements and chance of re-instatement!
Posted at 12:33PM on Dec 10th 2007 by Ricky Peck
7. It's silly to think that if Vick is not under suspension, teams wouldn't want to pick him up. 30 is not elderly for a quarterback - check out Testaverde or Garcia. By August 2009, enough time might have passed for the heat to fall off Vick enough where he might find a job - or at least a tryout.
A team would look foolish if it had a QB on the level of, say, Kyle Boller but passed on Vick. Think about it - after he gets out, he'll have paid his debt to society, and if there's one thing US fans love, it's penitence.
Having said that, though, Goodell should make sure he's still suspended, at least for 2009 and 2010. I guarantee Vick will play again in the NFL, unless of course he gets into trouble again.
Posted at 12:51PM on Dec 10th 2007 by Dan
8. Vick will never play another NFL game ever again. Now, the Falcons can draft Brian Brohm in the upcoming draft and move on. Unlike Vick, Brohm would never get involved with something evil as dogfighting.
Posted at 12:58PM on Dec 10th 2007 by Justin
9. Many important lessons here, as a Communication
Coach, one lesson I see is the value of how one presents oneself.
Once arrested, Vick presented himself as still above the law, breaking the law as he was waiting a court date to plead.
The judge went extra heavy on him. Why? Because he did not PRESENT himself as a contrite defendant.
Posted at 1:10PM on Dec 10th 2007 by leslie ungar
10. A fair sentence. However, it shows that we value the lives of dogs far more than we value the lives of unborn human beings.
Posted at 1:14PM on Dec 10th 2007 by JIMK2YOU
11. Hate to see anyone go to jail but killing animals for fun and $$.. what next, people? Oh forgot, there doing that too. Some of them need help not million dollar contracts. Too bad, there is mostly good guys playing ball. Get rid of the rest.
Posted at 1:15PM on Dec 10th 2007 by gghinmass
12. This man is an animal. Do you think the ogs he was killing thought he was making "Poor choices" Remember serial killers often start out "hurting animals"
Posted at 1:22PM on Dec 10th 2007 by Lolita
13. Vick's sentence is more then fair. What's not fair is that he hasn't been stripped of the 20 million yet. Will he play in the NFL again? Are you kidding me? Of course!
Posted at 1:24PM on Dec 10th 2007 by Mike Webber
14. Michael Vick will ABSOLUTELY play again in the NFL.
There are players in the NFL who have been involved in drugs and crime scenes where murders have been commited. Of course, Vick will be reinstated and should be reinstated. What would be great would be a re-instatement and a commitment of time and significant money from Vick to combat animal cruelty. Vick could singlehandedly be the role model that could stop dog fighting, killing animals for their furs, and animal cruelty. I WANT VICK TO HAVE A SECOND CHANCE: BRING HIM BACK TO THE NFL AND LET HIM BE THE POSTER CHILD FOR PETA. SERIOUSLY, LET'S SHOW OUR YOUTH THAT CHANGE AND HOPE IS POSSIBLE.
Posted at 1:33PM on Dec 10th 2007 by kf
15. What a shame that these young athlets have the world at their beck and call...they have so much influence over our young people...the messege they send to our youth is wrong...and these youth will end up in prison also...It is only fair that Mr Vicks receive some sort of sentence, little as it may be...but at least he didn't get off free...he has been given something to think about for the next 20 months...He will regret this for the rest of his life...he has lost millions and hopefully will never be able to play NFL again....Mr Vicks went to college or a university...I am sure he has a degree...now he must get out there and use it to is best and hopefully make a decent living...
Posted at 1:34PM on Dec 10th 2007 by MSpradlin
16. Vick will get a chance...as a WR or RB. He'll never play QB again. Frankly, even without the conviction, he should never have played QB again.
Posted at 1:37PM on Dec 10th 2007 by jojo2007
17. STUPID ASS WHITE FOLKS YO ASS DIDNT SAY THAT WHEN LINDSAY LOHEM GOT 84MINUTES IN JAIL OR BRITNEY STOLE LIGHTER YALL SO DAM PREDUDICE THATS ITS SO
Posted at 1:39PM on Dec 10th 2007 by sedgrick
18. BTW, couldn't Vick's boys at least have PRETENDED to wrestle with their conscience before selling him out?
Those guys set land speed records in their race to cut deals.
Posted at 1:40PM on Dec 10th 2007 by Jojo2007
19. Vick got screwed. Are you kidding me? Plain and simple. What state was this in? He killed what? 8 pitbulls? 2 years in the slammer! Ouch!!! I guess 8 dead dogs are worth more then a black mans life. He would have been better off raping a beauty queen like Mike T. I hope he comes back. We've forgiven many others for a lot more. Gambling? Hey, get over it. I love dogs but not viscious pits. Kill them all!!!
Posted at 1:43PM on Dec 10th 2007 by John
20. The sentence was way too harsh,he should be talking to the young kids who participate in dogfighting most older people are not into this,taking his job was wrong also.The "PUNISHMENT" is too harsh.
Posted at 1:54PM on Dec 10th 2007 by Percy