Atlanta Falcons: Michael Vick’s Return to the Georgia Dome
By Kit Anderson
Atlanta Falcons brought back Michael Vick on Sunday. Did they make the right choice?
The Atlanta Falcons won their final regular season game that will ever be played at the Georiga Dome. No player was more memorable or controversial at the Dome then was Michael Vick. The Falcons brought back Vick with the best wide receiver not named Julio Jones to play in the Dome. Vick and Roddy White were met by a roaring crowd at halftime in the Georgia Dome and gave fans memories of just how special White and Vick were to the team.
While some fans are yet to forgive Vick for bringing the reputation and problems that he did to the Atlanta Falcons those who have are able to look back fondly at just how special Vick was as a player. There is no questioning or excuses for the mistakes that Vick made, there is also no questioning that he has paid for his mistakes in our justice system and made the most of the second chance he was given by the Eagles.
Michael Vick brought excitement back to Atlanta Falcon’s football giving them an explosive player at the quarterback position similar to what the Panthers have found in Cam Newton. While Vick will always be remembered on the football field for his abilitily to run and to make something out of nothing and his ability to escape the pocket, his arm strength and effortless looking wrist flip throws were memorable as well.
Vick’s legacy as a Falcon is tarnished and rightly so, but the further behind his mistakes are the more fans will be able to look back and see what Vick brought to Atlanta beyond the mistakes, or what if questions that have surrounded discussions on Vick in the past.
His legacy in Atlanta and the NFL is beginning to change from one that brought a bad reputation to the Falcons and an athlete gone wrong to one of second chances and Vick’s coming back and turning around not only his career but his life and the mistakes he has made. While it will never be fully washed away most Falcon’s fans are beginning to remember Vick’s ability on the football field fondly and what he brought to Atlanta as a player.
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While Michael Vick’s legacy as a Falcon will forever be tarnished the Falcons did the correct thing in bringing Vick back to the Dome. They made an even better decision pairing Vick with one of the most popular Falcon’s players of all-time Roddy White. Ensuring both players a warm response back to the Dome.