Vick: Goodell Helped Convince Me To Sign With Eagles

I dont have a problem with what RG did, although its impossible to tell from this article what he said. He was looking out for the league by helping a high profile player get himself into a good situation that will make both the player and league look good. That's what I call a win-win.

Cincy would have been a disaster for MV as Cincy has the worst head coach at any level of football. That wasnt what MV or the league needed or wanted.

It wasn't only Goodell, but also "other reps from the NFL" in that meeting he talked about.

On the surface, it looks like Roger Goodell was/is meddling and perhaps overstepped his authority here. But let's be honest for a second, this wasn't Joe Blow quarterback that was released from prison and wanted to come back to play football. Had this story not taken on national and international importance, maybe Goodell steps back a little and allow things to run it's course. This story was dominating headlines for sometime. Wherever Michael Vick landed it would have come back to Roger Goodell's judgement or lack thereof. Tony Dungy would have suffered no repercussions if Vick went rogue again. So either way, Goodell and Vick were partners in his ultimate decision.

Roger Goodell is running a multi-billion dollar global enterprise, not your local Walmart. He is very much involved with not just the business side of the NFL, but also responsible for fashioning the image and making the product more accessible to consumers around the world as well as local communities. And players and what uniforms they put on are a big part of that. I'm sure he weighed all of this during his meetings with Vick.

I don't know if Michael Vick is the face of the NFL, but it's hard to argue that he's not in the top two or three right now. And if Philly goes to the Super Bowl, Goodell will get a lot of credit for helping Vick make a stunning comeback.

To me, maintaining the integrity of the league takes priority over making the business decision to help Vick minimize the risk (to both Vick and the NFL itself) of a relapse.

I've got a problem with any form of it though, even if it was as innocent as giving an opinion. The NFL had a vested interest in making sure Vick didn't get himself into trouble again, so while that is all well-intentioned, they're still pushing an agenda. Goodell and the NFL don't want the brand sullied by a relapse by the felon. Vick surrounded by McNabb, Andy Reid, and lower expectations initially surely reduces the chances of Vick making a bad choice, especially when considering the peers Vick would have had in Cincy, they were practically 50% felons at that point.

I'm sure Goodell had good intentions, but it just smells bad. Let Dungy be the one to advise him, you as the NFL commissioner need be completely impartial when it comes to player acquisition matters.

well said, agree 100%

To me, maintaining the integrity of the league takes priority over making the business decision to help Vick minimize the risk (to both Vick and the NFL itself) of a relapse.

I think those two things are related at the end of the day.

I think those two things are related at the end of the day.

Not from the perspective of the Bengals or the Bills, they're not at all.

What I found interesting is that the Bengals wanted him while they still had Carson Palmer starting.

What I found interesting is that the Bengals wanted him while they still had Carson Palmer starting.

Yeah, I thought that was interesting too. Because to hear Vick tell it they told him he'd start in Cincy

I dont have a problem with what RG did, although its impossible to tell from this article what he said. He was looking out for the league by helping a high profile player get himself into a good situation that will make both the player and league look good. That's what I call a win-win.

Cincy would have been a disaster for MV as Cincy has the worst head coach at any level of football. That wasnt what MV or the league needed or wanted.

Just curious - - because I don't know:

Is Jerry Faust still coaching?

Just curious - - because I don't know:

Is Jerry Faust still coaching?

LOL, I dont think he is. IMO Marvin Lewis makes him look like Knute Rockne. Lewis was a good D coordinator but a disaster as HC.