Resurrecting the Brand of
Michael Vick
By Isaac Jamison and Cody Honea
Vick’s early years
 Born on June 26, 1980 in Newport News, Virginia
 Mother, Brenda Vick, Father, Michael Boddie were teenagers
when he was born.
 The family struggled, lived in the Ridley Circle Homes housing
project.
 The neighborhood was known for its poverty, crime, and
violence.
 Kids in the neighborhood(including Vick) saw sports as a way
to make it out of that environment.
Vick’s early years
 Michael Vick garnered attention in his neighborhood for his speed.
He used his physical gifts to play football.
 He played for Tommy Reamon at Warwick High School. Coach
Reamon became Vick’s mentor and a family advisor.
 As Vick began to star on the football field, Reamon began to help
him prepare for the SATs so he could qualify for college.
 Vick became a sought after recruit, wanted by colleges all over the
country and narrowed his choices to Syracuse and Virginia Tech.
Vick’s early years
 Coach Reamon steered Vick towards Virginia Tech because it was
close to home and their coach Frank Beamer promised to look after
and develop Michael Vick.
 The Virginia Tech Hokies were known as an average college
football program. Things changed quickly when Vick chose to play
there.
 In his first game as a redshirt freshman, he scored 3 rushing
touchdowns and the last one became a highlight on ESPN
SportsCenter. It also injured his ankle.
Vick’s early years
 Vick’s freshman season was full of accolades.
 He won an ESPY for the nations top college player.
 He won the first ever Archie Griffin Award as college’s
most valuable player.
 He finished 3rd for the Heisman, the sports top award.
 That year he led the Hokies to an 11-0 record and a spot
in the BCS National championship game versus the
Florida State Seminoles.
Vick’s early years
 Although his team lost, Vick shined in the game and opened
the eyes of NFL scouts.
 The next season Virginia Tech had high expectations as Vick
began his sophomore season.
 Injuries caused Vick to miss one game and parts of two
others which hindered the season which ended with a victory
in the less prestigious Gator Bowl.
 Vick earned MVP honors in the game.
 After the season, Vick decided to turn pro citing his family
and the fact that they still lived in the Ridley Circle Homes.
Early pro career
 The Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Vick
with the 1st overall pick in the 2001 NFL
Draft.
 With his first contract and endorsement
money, he purchase a brand new home for
his mother.
 During his first 6 seasons in the NFL Vick
quickly became the face of pro football.
 He was voted to the pro bowl 3 times
including his rookie season
 3 time all pro team selection
 Set multiple quarterback rushing records
 Led the Falcons to an history victory over
the Packers in Lambeau field his 2nd season
Early pro career
 As Vick’s popularity grew, so did his
endorsements. He was routinely at or
near the top in jersey sales.
 Featured on the cover of Madden
NFL 2004.
 Lucrative endorsement deal and ad
push from Nike
 Other endorsements included CocaCola, Air Tran, Kraft, and Powerade
 In 2004 the Falcons signed Vick to a
10 year $130 million dollar contract.
The richest in NFL history at the
time.
Early pro career
 Despite all his success, Vick still faced criticism due to
rumors of his lack of work ethic.
 In April of 2006, he settled a lawsuit with a woman who
claimed he knowingly gave her herpes.
 After a tough loss where Vick’s teammates let him down by
dropping passes, he was booed by Falcon fans as he left the
field. He responded by flipping the fans off with both fingers.
 In January of 2007 Vick was stopped by airport security and
was told to give them a bottle which they claimed smelled
like marijuana and had a hidden compartment. Later Vick
was cleared as nothing was found.
Dog Fight
 In April of 2007 details of Michael
Vick’s involvement in an illegal dog
fighting ring began to surface.
 Local and federal authorities began
to investigate a property owned by
Vick.
 Disturbing evidence uncovered at
the now infamous “Bad Newz
kennels ran by Vick.
 Authorities seized over 70 dogs
some showing signs of injury.
Dog Fight
 Michael Vick initially denied any involvement in the dog
fighting ring and brashly claimed his name would be cleared.
 After the initial investigation into the property, two associates
of Vick were arrested.
 Both men agreed to testify against Vick for reduced
sentences.
 As he could no longer deny his involvement and facing a
losing court battle, Vick decided to come clean about his role
in the illegal enterprise.
Dog Fight
Dog Fight
 Vick held a press conference where he
admitted guilt, denounced dogfighting,
and apologized stating he would report
to jail even before sentencing.
 Prosecutors pushed for harsher
sentencing for Vick, stating he lied
initially about his involvement.
 In December of 2007 Vick was
sentenced to 23 months in prison.
 He served his time at Leavenworth,
KS.
 After serving 23 months, he was
released in July of 2007. Vick was
allowed to serve his last 60 in home
confinement.
Dog Fight
 After the indictments, Michael Vicks sponsors fled.
 The details of the dog fighting ring were so shocking that
even Nike who initially said they would stand by Vick, pulled
its endorsement deal.
 Vick not only lost all of his endorsements, the Atlanta
Falcons, who gave Vick the richest of NFL contracts, filed
paperwork to recoup over $37 million dollars in bonuses the
team paid to him.
Vick after prison
 Vick not only had image issues, he had financial troubles as well.
 Vick filed Bankruptcy in July of 2008 citing creditors that included
the Falcons, a sports agency firm, and the Royal Bank of Canada
where had taken a $2.5 million loan.
 He reached agreements with each of his creditors through
arbitrations and the courts but still was unemployed and had not
been reinstated by the NFL.
 Vick knew that unless his image was repaired, getting back in the
NFL and ultimately to endorsements was going to be impossible.
 He hired the French/West Vaughan pr firm to help repair his
image. The 85 member firm was retained to handle non-football
public relations and counsel Vick on his personal brand.
Vick after prison
 Once released, Vick knew he had to immediately work to repair his
image. He began to reach out to animals’ rights groups as well as
continuing to denounce dog fighting.
 He granted interviews to multiple news outlets and answered
questions in the face of harsh backlash for his past crimes against
dogs.
 Whether or not Vick should be forgiven and given a second chance
became a major debate not only in sports but in society.
 Many refused to accept his apologies or his new activist stance and
felt he should still be in jail.
 Others felt that he paid his debt to society, had emerged a changed
man and should be given a second chance.
Michael Vick at present
 Shortly after his release, NFL
commissioner Rodger Goodell
reinstated Michael Vick opening
the door for him to return to
football.
 Many believed no teams would
want to sign him because they
didn’t want to deal with the
protests that would surely follow.
 The Eagles signed Vick to a 1
year contract in August of 2009
for a little over $1 million.
Michael Vick at present
 Vick backed up Eagles starter Donovan McNabb and only
played in certain situations and some games didn’t play at all.
 The next year the Eagles traded McNabb before the 2010
season and handed the team to Kevin Kolb and Vick
remained a backup
 Kolb was injured in the first game and Vick came in and
played so well, he took the starting job from Kolb.
 He went on to have the best season of his career and was
once again named to the pro bowl and also won the Sporting
News Comeback Player of the Year award.
Michael Vick at present
 Following the season, the Eagles traded Kolb and designated
Michael Vick as their franchise player.
 They then signed him to a 6 year $100 million deal.
 He became the first player in NFL history to sign two $100
million deals.
 Nike re-signed Vick as an endorser as well as Unequal
Technologies a company that makes protective football gear.