Michael Vick and the Patriots … Why it Could Work

There has been quite a bit of speculation regarding the professional fate of Michael Vick … some of which focuses on the possibility that he might land with the Patriots. Now, there are obvious reasons why people would be against this, but let’s take a look at some of the reasons why this might be appealing.

For the sake of this discussion, we can break it down as to how it would be a benefit or appeal to each of the following:

1. Robert Kraft
2. Bill Belichick
3. Michael Vick
4. The Fans

Robert Kraft
By all accounts, Mr. Kraft runs an organization that he can be proud to follow as a fan. He likes to bring in people who are good citizens, as well as good athletes. There have been times, such as with Christian Peter, when Kraft has taken measures to purge undesirables from the team.

With all of that said, I think Vick would make perfect sense. Here’s why …

He’s paid his dues. Say what you want about how brutal his crimes were, and make no mistake they were brutal, but the man did the time. The time in this case happened to be longer than some people have received for acts against other humans. What better way to show that you are an altruistic person, than to give someone a second chance? If a person takes responsibility for what he did, makes retribution, and shows a desire to make himself a better person, doesn’t he deserve that chance?

Moreover, Kraft could work with Vick to help him make amends. As a respected team owner, he could stand beside Vick and work with him to bring attention to various charities and organizations that would benefit man’s best friend.

Bill Belichick
Obviously, Vick would represent yet another offensive weapon. A lot’s been said about how Vick would be perfect in the Wildcat Offense, but let’s not forget that he once quarterbacked the Falcons to the NFC Championship Game.

This would be beneficial for two reasons:

1. If Brady were to get injured, the Patriots would have another option to fill in the QB spot.
2. Aside from the Wildcat, Vick could also come in at the end of games or in blow-outs to allow Brady to rest.

Belichick is not known to shy away from players with a checkered past (Dillon, Moss), as long as they show a willingness to buy-in to the team concept. With Vick looking for a way back into the league, there’s no reason to believe that he wouldn’t be a good soldier. If Vick did prove to be more trouble than he’s worth, he could be cut.

Michael Vick
He needs to get back into the league. Whether he deserved it or not (and again, I understand the viewpoint that he did indeed deserve it), he has lost everything as a result of his heinous actions. The road back to redemption has to start somewhere --- why not with a team that is widely considered to be one of the favorites to win it all this year?

There is also the chance that he could improve his image (and his karma) if he were to genuinely seek the guidance of Robert Kraft. If he proved himself to be a changed man, who wants to make good for the bad he’s done, then there wouldn’t be many better affiliations than one he could have with Kraft.

Beyond that, he’d get the chance to pass the ball to Randy Moss and Wes Welker ... and that’s not so bad.

The Fans
There’s no getting around the fact that this would be a polarizing event. There would be protests. There would be some very bad things said about the team. Then again, bad things have been said about the team since the Spygate incident. The Patriots are not a well-liked team beyond their fan base.

So, fans could embrace this. If people are going to think poorly of the team no matter what they do, then why not give Vick a chance? As evidenced by his years with Atlanta, he can be pure electricity on the field. It would be entertaining, and it would also give the Patriots one more weapon to use in taking down their opponents.

As a fan myself (and a dog owner), this is something that I could get behind --- provided Vick were to show legitimate remorse for his actions, coupled with a sincere effort to do some good with his life.

I’ve said it already, but I’ll say it again --- If a person takes responsibility for what he did, makes retribution, and shows a desire to make himself a better person, doesn’t he deserve that chance?