In preparation for his annual charity event in Hampton Roads, Mike Vick gave an interview with David Teel in which he claimed to be the trendsetter for QBs such as Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin, Cam Newton, Johnny Manziel, and Andrew Luck among others. For some reason, this season Vick finds himself as Geno Smiths back with the New York Jets.
As a player who paved the way for so many successful QBs and who gave defensive coordinators nightmares preparing for his game, is Michael underappreciated in the NFL?
http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-teel-column-vick-week-20140613,0...
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In the NFL - No, he never really put it all together for a whole season.
In the history of college football - Yes, I believe so. I think Johnny Manziel and Vick were the same football player, but I think Manziel will be better remembered just because he won a heisman in an era where exposure to media is virtually inevitable.
I agree with all of this except Manziel and Vick being the same football player. Manziel may have been just as exciting to watch, but for different reasons, IMO. Athletically, Vick
wasis on another level. With a few levels between.Vick's 2010 season was pretty legit...
I think he may be a tad under-appreciated. Guys like Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick will get more credit because so much of QB evaluation is based on post-season success. It also doesn't help that Vick can't seem to stay healthy.
But from a sheer athleticism stand point, he's an anomaly, in a league all by himself. I don't think we've seen a QB really come close to being able to emulate Vick and we may never see it.
I thought all mobile QB's were destined to be "Slash"?
--Kordell Stewart
Of course Mike Vick is not appreciated. None of the QBs in the league is as entertaining as Mike Vick. The guy is an ESPN highlight reel. Vick has put it together a whole season several times. He twice signed huge contracts. Two of the main reasons hes underappreciated are because fans wont forget his past mistakes and he hasnt been able to stay healthy.
Imagine if Vick was behind and offensive line.
He was during his comeback season in 2010 for most of the year. A better o-line than he ever had in ATL (better WRs too). I think the correct phrase is "imagine if he had an o-line that actually blocked for him."
Before Vick, there was:
Of course, there was also Steve Young, Frank Tarkenten, Air McNair, Elway, as well.
Yeah but they really weren't on the level. I mean. Vick's arm strength alone was mind raping.
Randall Cunningham had a cannon. His throw on the run ball was a rifle shot.
I still think Vick's was faster.
Randall's legs were so long he looked like a track star running.
Michael Johnson running the 400m. Fast, but didn't look it.
It would be a great footrace to have though. Vick would probably win, but not by much.
Michael would win by a solid margin. Cunningham was an aberration for his time because he ran at all. He had no more than 4.5 speed, though, which doesn't stay within sight of Michael's 4.3 speed. That's not dissing Cunningham, it's merely an admission that Michael had speed that was otherwordly for a QB, and for almost any footballer. We're talking REAL 4.3 speed, not college deflated timing, to be clear.
Owning my downvote for word choice.
That's kind of petty, but whatever.
I'll own up to the second downvote too (surprise surprise).
Rape = bad.
Mike Vick's arm = amazing.
A different word would probably be better.
I'm not gonna change it. The fact that I got even one upleg verifies it. It's 100% factual. Also, I was referencing a Robot Chicken skit.
It was the "mindfreak" episode.
Um, did I wake up and we aren't on the internet?
The wording stood out, but in context, I can understand why he chose to use it. Not to mention, I don't think we're that delicate here that we should be bothered by it. Thus, I'm not downvoting him for it, nor you for downvoting him. Word choice on here is a triviality, after all.
Cunningham didn't have a good arm?
I mean, not even going to touch the silly-athletic plays he has on there, but check out those 2 final highlights. The first is a midfield scramble in the backfield where he rolls out to the right, ducks under a couple tackles, plants his feet, and then throws a dart to the opposite corner of the end zone hitting his receiver in the numbers. The second is an even crazier play, where the Eagles are backed up to their own 1, he's somehow able to keep on his feet after being overwhelmed at the LOS, and still manages to throw a dart connecting with his receiver at midfield, who proceeds to take it all the way for a TD.
Oh, and he could punt, too
Don't get me wrong. Cunningham was great, arms legs & all. But everyone knows Vick's arm was stronger. I would almost warrant that both Culpeper & McNabb had stronger arms too.
Vick's arm might have been stronger, but he was as inaccurate a passer as they came in the NFL. The fact he never developed his passing game is going to be the absolute main reason he is likely done as a starter in the league.
MV done as a starter?
Didnt Mike Vick break the rushing record for a QB ? The guy is a true dual threat . When he's playing well, he's hard to defend.
Yeah, he had a 1000 yard rushing season in 2006. I think a lot of people do forget just how fast Vick was/is. To put it into perspective, Vick's official 40 time in 2001 was a 4.33. That's 3 hundredths of a second slower than Darrius Heyward-Bey and 2 hundredths of a second faster than DeSean Jackson.
Exactly. And just last year 32 yr old Vick smoked 24 yr old Shady McCoy in the 40 when they raced at practice.
I think it was most unfortunate that Vick was unable to benefit from offensive systems that would have been capable of utilizing his skills set like they have today. I remember his first few seasons as a Falcon, he was literally the fastest player in the league with a cannon on deck, but no one knew what to do with him. Having a guy like Chip Kelly around with his conceptually basic but explosive offense, would have seen Vick revolutionize the game before he developed all his bad habits.
Please bare with me if this is already in the article as it would not load on my mobile phone but IMO Vick was one of if the not the most efficient QB in college ever. Players like Manziel, Wilson, Kaepernick etc. might of put better passing stats but they were not anywhere close to being as efficient as Vick was.
It just took something like 3 games into the season before MV7's passing numbers were officially in the books, since we didn't pass enough for him to accrue enough attempts to officially be counted in QB stats.
Yep, I bet if Vick through as many passes as those players I mentioned he could've put up as good if not better stats.
I don't know if Vick can be considered a trendsetter for the mobile QB in today's game. There were already some great mobile qb's in college and the pros. The athleticism he brought to the position was freakish and no one could take over a game quite like him. He definitely raised the bar for mobile qb's. He is the standard that I compare mobile qb's to. However I am biased from getting to watch him while I was at VT.
Even QB like RGIII , Johnny Menziel, Cam Newton view Vick as an innovator of the QB position. In interview, they not only respect Vicks plays, but they see him as a QB who paved the way for dual threat QB like themselves. There were QBs before Vick that elevated the game and their team, but Vick took it to another level when he defeated Greenbay at Lambeau field in the playoff and orchestrated the second miracle at the NY Giants stadium.
Vick did things I've never seen anyone else do on a football field. There were seasons both at Tech and his first few years with Atlanta when I just couldn't believe what I'd seen him do. As far as being underappreciated...he's got a certain image because of the dogfighting thing that some people just won't get over, and he hasn't been able to counteradapt when NFL defenses finally worked out how to stop him. Add in not being able to stay healthy...the only full season he ever played was 2006. His last year before going to prison. I will forever wonder what would have happened if he'd gotten his act together before it came to that.
Well for one thing, he would have an extra 100,000,000 dollars in the bank.
Also, Vick was recruiting Josh Sweat big time this past weekend at Vick's camp.
THISSSSSSS
i think charlie ward was the 1st of his time that could really really do both things well. if he played today he would be the #1 pick in the draft but i def think vick openned the door for "athletes playing QB" in the NFL rather than only pocket passing QBs being high draft pics and having a chance to start.
Sure. Only difference is Vick had a better pro career. How many pro bowls did Ward go to again?
Those other guys may have dabbled a bit in it but Vick AND Beamer blew it apart.
If anyone has any question about it, you simply have to look at the performance in 1999. No doubt in my mind. Nobody played QB like that.