Blogging Dirty
FanSided

The Michael Vick Experience…One Of A Kind

By Joe Beasley

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick runs out of the pocket during a game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on 9/25/2005. Atlanta won the game 24-16 (Photo by Mark Konezny/NFLPhotoLibrary)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick runs out of the pocket during a game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on 9/25/2005. Atlanta won the game 24-16 (Photo by Mark Konezny/NFLPhotoLibrary) /
facebooktwitterreddit

I’ve watched a lot of football in my 29 years on this earth and I will admit that I don’t remember 90 percent of the things I’ve seen. One of the few moments I do remember, sticks out in my mind.

December 1st, 2002

I’m watching the Falcons as they battle the Minnesota Vikings with my parents and the game had just gone into overtime.

I don’t remember the entire game,but I do remember THE play…the most impact play I’ve ever seen which I’m sure inspired the likes of Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick and Lamar Jackson.

Todd McClure hikes the ball to Michael Vick and the rest is history….

Vick wasn’t your typical drop back quarterback that stood in pocket and delivered the ball down field, but he was on any given day the fastest person on the field and always the most dynamic.

There is no denying that Mike brought tens of thousands of fans that didn’t previously exist to the Falcons bandwagon. They packed the Georgia Dome to see what he would do next; he was much watch television for the six years he donned a Falcons uniform.

He was the first visiting quarterback in NFL history to win a playoff game at Lambeau Field when he led the Falcons to a 27-7 victory in 2003.

MV7 proved to the NFL that a QB didn’t have to throw for 300 yards a game to become a successful quarterback in this league.

Mike was constantly criticized because he wasn’t the prototypical quarterback, but I bet if you were to ask any defensive coordinator in the league who they did not want to face, his name would come up more times than not.

Vick dnever had the eye-popping throwing stats, never led the Falcons to a Super Bowl championship, never had back to back winning seasons as a Falcons, but his impact on the city of Atlanta, the NFL and the African American community is something that cannot be forgotten.

Let’s face it, Vick’s style of play ushered in a new era of quarterbacks in this league. Yes, we know about Randall Cunningham, Steve Young and others who came before him yet here is it some 18 years later after his debut and mobile quarterbacks are still making their mark in the league and will continue do to so until the end of time.

Home/Falcons All-Time Lists