OK, maybe that’s an overstatement, but the occasion is still momentous. No more electronic monitor; no more home confinement. Vick has paid his debt to society, and he’s ready for some football — if Roger Goodell, and an NFL team, will have him.
Let the sweepstakes begin.
The maligned former Falcons quarterback announced Monday that he is ready to start training with the illustrious Tom Shaw as he gets ready to attempt a return to the NFL. Shaw has worked with the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Jay Cutler and Deion Sanders, and he also worked with Vick before disaster struck.
Vick still has some work to do off the field before he gets back on the gridiron. League commissioner Goodell said he’d meet with Vick once he finished serving his sentence, and the time has come, although it is still unclear when the two sides will sit down to try to hash out an agreement.
“The review of his status is ongoing, but we are providing no other details at this time,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told ESPN.com.
Vick served the first 18 months of his 23-month sentence in a penitentiary in Kansas; he was transferred to home confinement in May and worked a construction job before switching to a position dealing with children’s health and fitness at various Boys and Girls Clubs.
In six seasons in Atlanta, the 29-year-old quarterback accumulated a 74-67 career record, throwing for 11,505 yards and 71 touchdowns. His best season came in 2002, when he threw for 16 touchdowns, rushed for eight, and earned the first of his three Pro Bowl selections.
