Vick Signs With NY Jets

By Chris McPherson, PhiladelphiaEagles.com

Quarterback Michael Vick will be wearing a different shade of green this upcoming season after signing a one-year deal with the New York Jets on Friday.

The Eagles currently have three quarterbacks on the roster: Pro Bowl selection Nick Foles, last year’s fourth-round pick Matt Barkley and G.J. Kinne. Vick wanted to sign where he would have an opportunity to start and that role isn’t available with the Eagles.

“I want to personally wish Michael Vick and his family all the best as he heads into the next phase of his career in New York,” said Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie. “I really enjoyed getting to know him over the last five years. He always represented our team with a tremendous amount of class. Michael was a great teammate, a great leader and we’re thankful for everything he provided to our organization and to our community.”

Vick revived his career in Philadelphia after an 18-month prison sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation. He signed with the Eagles in August 2009 – as the Eagles were playing in a preseason game at home against the Patriots – and served as a backup to Donovan McNabb before winning the starting job early in the 2010 campaign. He ignited the Eagles offense in 2010 as he threw for 3,018 yards and 21 touchdowns against only six interceptions for a career-high 100.2 quarterback rating while leading the Eagles to an NFC East title. He had a number of sensational performances including the Monday Night win over Washington when he accounted for six total touchdowns as well as the amazing fourth-quarter comeback in the Miracle at the New Meadowlands.

Vick was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2010 and signed a new deal with the Eagles the following offseason. In 2011, Vick engineered what was then the most prolific offense in franchise history in terms of total yards, but the team was unable to carry the momentum from the previous season and finished 8-8. The 2012 season spiraled downwards after a 3-1 start. Vick suffered a concussion in a Week 10 loss against Dallas and missed the next five games due to the injury.

Last February, the Eagles and Vick agreed to a restructured one-year contract to provide the veteran quarterback the chance to work with new head coach Chip Kelly. Vick and Foles battled in Training Camp for the starting job, which was won by Vick after a sensational preseason.

Vick led the high-octane offense in the season-opening win over Washington which put the NFL on notice as he threw for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In the Week 2 games against San Diego, Vick threw for a career-high 428 yards as he posted a 123.4 quarterback rating. In the Week 5 win over the Giants, Vick injured his hamstring running out of bounds and missed five of the next six games. During that span, Foles was brilliant and took over the starting job. Vick did not complain about his demotion and threw his total and complete support behind Foles.

In five seasons with the Eagles, the former No. 1 overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft ranks sixth in franchise history with 9,984 yards on 57 touchdowns, a 59.5 percent completion rate and an 87.7 passer rating. He also surpassed former Eagle Randall Cunningham as the all-time NFL leader in career rushing yards by a quarterback with 5,857.

Not only was Vick a pro on the field during his time with the Eagles, he championed many causes off the field. He teamed up with the Humane Society to share with children his story and steer them away from animal cruelty. He also started the Team Vick Foundation which donated $200,000 towards a youth football field in North Philadelphia.