February 03, 2017
According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, Michael Vick has retired from the NFL at the age of 36 just a few days before his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, will play the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl:
THIS JUST IN: Michael Vick tells @JosinaAnderson that he's officially retired from the NFL. pic.twitter.com/0sN66Ggo52
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 3, 2017
When the sports world remembers Vick’s career, it will almost always be as a Falcon, blowing by everybody and throwing lefty rifles while rocking that signature black visor. Heck, Vick himself wrote about his unique connection with the city this week in a piece titled “Atlanta” for The Players’ Tribune.
(Oh yeah, Vick in Madden '04 is still the most dominant video game athlete of all-time).
Even with all of that history down south, Vick’s 2010 season in Philadelphia might be remembered as the defining moment of his career.
Starting the season as the backup quarterback, Vick took over the first game for Kevin Kolb and was shot out of a cannon. He finished the season passing 233-372 (62.6 CMP%) for 3,018 yards, 21 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in addition to rushing for 676 yards and nine touchdowns. The Eagles won the NFC East title, and after spending 18 months in prison, Vick was the comeback player of the year.
More than anything, Vick was breathtaking to watch. The Eagles didn't make it out of the wild-card round that year, but the season was a ton of fun.
Vick will always be a polarizing figure because of how he ended up in jail in the first place, but it’s safe to say he made the most of his second chance in Philly both on and off the field. Taking you into the weekend, here are some of his highlights from 2010:
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
