Falcons release suspended QB Michael Vick

By CHARLES ODUM, AP Sports Writer Charles Odum, Ap Sports Writer – Fri Jun 12, 2:06 pm ET

ATLANTA – The Michael Vick era in Atlanta is officially over. Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the team relinquished its contractual rights to Vick on Friday. "Michael remains suspended by the NFL," Dimitroff said. "However, in the event NFL commissioner Roger Goodell decides to reinstate Michael, we feel his best opportunity to re-engage his football career would be at another club."

The move was no surprise. Owner Arthur Blank has said Vick would not return to the Falcons.

Goodell has not committed to reinstating Vick after the quarterback completes his 23-month sentence on July 20 for running a dogfighting ring. Vick has been on home confinement in Virginia since leaving federal prison in Kansas on May 20.

Even while making it clear Vick had no football future with the Falcons, Blank has said he would be available to assist Vick.

"Our entire organization sincerely hopes that Michael will continue to focus his efforts on making positive changes in his life, and we wish him well in that regard," Dimitroff said Friday.

Vick was the Falcons No. 1 draft pick in 2001. He played six seasons with the team, but the Falcons moved on by making quarterback Matt Ryan their No. 1 pick last year. Ryan started every game as a rookie and led the Falcons to the playoffs.

Vick was the figurehead for the Falcons and, as a dual-threat quarterback, was one of the NFL's most dynamic stars from 2001-2006 before his sudden downfall.

Goodell said last month he would not make a decision on Vick before the end of his sentence.

"Once he's concluded that, I will make a judgment based on what he tells me and what I can determine from speaking to others and a final background check on this and make a determination at the right time," Goodell said.

Speculation about Vick's NFL future started even before his release from the Falcons.

Jim Mora, whose Vick-led team advanced to the NFC championship game in 2003, said this week he doesn't expect Vick to find a job with his Seattle team.

"I'll just say this for the record: We are very happy with the quarterbacks we have on our roster," Mora said. "We have no intentions of adding another player to our roster at this time. ... Just cut out the 'at this time,' because then people will speculate for the next three months. We have no intentions of adding a quarterback to our roster."

Even as he hopes for reinstatement from Goodell and begins his search for another NFL home, Vick faces other pressing priorities, including his crumbled finances.

On Tuesday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro set a July 2 deadline for Vick to submit a revised Chapter 11 plan. A hearing to confirm or reject the plan was set for Aug. 27.

Santoro said that if the new plan fails to address the shortcomings that prompted him to reject the first one in April, he will appoint an independent trustee to take over management of Vick's finances.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090612/..._vick_released

Do you know what the sad part is? He will get reinstated by the NFL and some team is going to sign this loser to some high $$ deal and stick by him until they, themselves, sink into the dark recesses of the abyss!

Wayne

I hope they refuse to reinstate him.

He doesn't deserve to be in the public eye at all if he doesn't want to be a positive role model.

I'm not entirely sure Vick is going to get a high dollar deal if/when he's reinstated by the league. He's officially damaged goods since he's been off the field for so long, not to mention the PR nightmare that his next team will have to deal with. I think it's more likely that there's so little competition for his services that someone will pick him up for somewhere in the neighborhood of league minimum for veterans. Guess we'll find out before too long.

I'm a Bears fan and can't help but laugh at the irony of them pursuing Plaxico Burress. We cut Tank Johnson for a gun charge and our run defense was never quite the same. I'd have to imagine signing Plaxico would piss off some fans that weren't too happy to see Tank go.

Originally Posted by SamanthaJane13

I hope they refuse to reinstate him.

He doesn't deserve to be in the public eye at all if he doesn't want to be a positive role model.

I don't really think that public figures need to be positive role models. (hell, britney spears convinced me to not ever ever do crack cocaine)

However, nobody should be dogfighting, cockfighting, etc. Hurt your own self all you like. You do not ever ever take pleasure in the pain and suffering of other beings. For that, there must be a special hell.

Originally Posted by ApexPredatorBoids

I'm not entirely sure Vick is going to get a high dollar deal if/when he's reinstated by the league. He's officially damaged goods since he's been off the field for so long, not to mention the PR nightmare that his next team will have to deal with. I think it's more likely that there's so little competition for his services that someone will pick him up for somewhere in the neighborhood of league minimum for veterans. Guess we'll find out before too long.

I'm a Bears fan and can't help but laugh at the irony of them pursuing Plaxico Burress. We cut Tank Johnson for a gun charge and our run defense was never quite the same. I'd have to imagine signing Plaxico would piss off some fans that weren't too happy to see Tank go.

With the fact that there are only a few teams out there, that have quality quarterbacks, I think some teams will scramble to pick him up! Someone, somewhere will have it in there heads, that they can mold him into the quarterback he once was. Hey, and maybe they can. Regardless though, that man has no business being in the public eye, in a positive light though!

I guess we are all going to have to watch and see how this drama, plays itself out!

Wayne

Originally Posted by MedusaCoils

With the fact that there are only a few teams out there, that have quality quarterbacks, I think some teams will scramble to pick him up! Someone, somewhere will have it in there heads, that they can mold him into the quarterback he once was. Hey, and maybe they can. Regardless though, that man has no business being in the public eye, in a positive light though!

I guess we are all going to have to watch and see how this drama, plays itself out!

Wayne

He would have to be moldable into something much better than he once was for me to want him on my team. He was a tremendous athlete but he sucked as a QB. That is my opinion, yours may vary.

Originally Posted by sschind

He would have to be moldable into something much better than he once was for me to want him on my team. He was a tremendous athlete but he sucked as a QB. That is my opinion, yours may vary.

My point exactly. He was a mediocre QB that was a great scrambler. But seeing how Rex "Butterfingers" Grossman managed to catch on with another team already I guess that gives hope to the other vastly overrated free agent QBs out there.

Originally Posted by sschind

He would have to be moldable into something much better than he once was for me to want him on my team. He was a tremendous athlete but he sucked as a QB. That is my opinion, yours may vary.

The only thing I liked about him, was his legs. I like a quarterback that isn't afraid to scramble out of the pocket once in a while.

Being from NH, I am of course a bit biased to Tom Brady, but last year we had a taste of his clone. Granted, Cassel isn't and won't be Brady, but I like the fact that he wasn't afraid to get the tough yards himself! Big Ben, in Pittsburgh is another. I don't think Ben Rothlesberger is a great QB, but he knows how to scramble.

Wayne

Vick's problems as a quarterback were all ego or intellect related.

He can throw. For distance if need be and with accuracy at anything within his range, from sideline to sideline.

He can't however... or couldn't anyway... make smart plays.

His judgment was garbage and he was always looking to scramble for yards and make it on the highlight reel.

He'd throw into coverage where it was just a dumb pass... he'd be so busy dancing half the time that when he realized he had no running lane and had to throw it, he'd lob a wobbler without his feet planted.

The Falcons, when he was QB, had a pitifully small offensive playbook when it came thi his dumb ass actually airing the ball out. It might have been a deliberate move by the coaching staff to focus on things that worked but I strongly suspect that it was because Vick was a moron that couldn't remember more than eight plays.