Report: Vick Unlikely to Become a Patriot

by

Jul 31, 2009

Bill Belichick and Michael Vick are both staying tight-lipped about whether or not the former Falcons quarterback could become the newest New England Patriot sometime soon.

During a press conference on the Patriots' first day of training camp on Thursday, Belichick coyly told reporters, "Michael is an outstanding player [who] hasn't played in a couple of years.
But right now, our focus is on our team and our players and trying to
get the New England Patriots ready. So that's really where my
attention's been. But he's a tremendous athlete."

He reiterated those sentiments again at training camp on Friday — but is he keeping something secret or just being diplomatic?

Later on Friday, Sports Illustrated's Peter King took to Twitter to announce, "I am hearing reliably that the Patriots are not interested in Vick. Belichick is comfortable with Kevin O'Connell as [Tom] Brady's backup."

That doesn't rule out the possibility of Vick in New England, but it puts Belichick's evasiveness in perspective.

Vick, who has not played in the NFL since 2006, was recently reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell but will fulfill a six-game suspension before he is cleared to play in 2009. He told reporters on Thursday that he is close to signing with a professional team, but he did not indicate whether or not it is an NFL team.

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