Michael Vick Signs With the Jets


The possibility of Michael Vick backing up Nick Foles next season no longer exists.

The veteran quarterback signed a one-year deal with the Jets today, the team announced. The deal is worth $5 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Vick will presumably compete with second-year player Geno Smith for the starting job. He released the following statement:

“It is an honor to be a member of the New York Jets. The organization is strong and I look forward to an exciting football season. In the coming days I will express my gratitude for the city of Philadelphia. For now, I am humbled to play the game I love as an NFL quarterback.”

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie also released a statement:

“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. 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.”

The Eagles surprisingly signed Vick back in the summer of 2009 after he was released from prison. He served as a third-stringer in his first season before taking over for Kevin Kolb during the 2010 campaign. Vick completed a career-high 62.6 percent of his passes that season, tossing 21 touchdowns against six interceptions. He also ran for 676 yards and nine touchdowns as the Eagles made the playoffs, losing to the Packers in the wild-card round.

In 2011 and 2012, Vick struggled with turnovers, throwing 24 interceptions in 23 games. He also fumbled 21 times during that span. Vick missed time because of injuries in all four of his seasons with the Eagles.

Last summer, under Chip Kelly, he won the starting job in training camp, but suffered an injury in October against the Giants, and Nick Foles took over. Vick served as a backup the rest of the way. He was well-liked and well-respected by his teammates and coaches throughout his time in Philadelphia. Vick has not had any off-the-field issues since being released from prison.

The Eagles now have to decide what to do about their backup quarterback situation. They could give Matt Barkley a chance to win the job, sign a veteran or draft someone in May.

When it comes to Vick’s highlights with the Eagles, two games come to mind. One is the comeback against the Giants back in 2010. And the other is the 6-TD performance on Monday night against the Redskins. Highlights of that game are embedded below.