On Monday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced that, after a two-year suspension, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is once again eligible to sign with a team. The terms of Vick's reinstatement stipulate that, after signing with a team, he may play in the final two preseason games, but must sit out for six games before he can play in the regular season.
Although it is possible the suspension may be reduced, Goodell is overstepping his role as commissioner. Since he plans to let Vick return, he should do so unconditionally and without punishing Vick further, as that leaves his potential teams in limbo Vick's original suspension from the NFL occurred in 2007, following the discovery of his prominent role running a dog-fighting ring on an estate he owned in Virginia. The dog-fighting matches allegedly occurred over a five-year period and were major gambling events. Countless numbers of dogs died both during and after the fights, and the photos that emerged from the scandal were horrifying depictions of the brutalities of dog-fighting.
For his crime, Vick has spent much of the past two years in prison. Although he is once again a free man (his sentence concluded on July 20), he experienced one of the most devastating falls from grace that professional football has ever seen. In addition to serving jail time, he lost most of his 10-year, $130-million contract, and all of his endorsement deals, and eventually had to declare bankruptcy.
Vick has been punished by the justice system, and Goodell does not have the right to punish him more by prolonging the suspension. If a United States federal court believes Vick has served his time, the NFL should, too.
I understand that what Vick did was wrong. I consider myself a big dog person, and I was disgusted with the stories and pictures that circulated two summers ago. I will never forget, nor will I forgive, the training techniques employed by Vick to teach the dogs to be killing machines.
According to media reports, in one particularly disturbing training method, the people involved with the dog-fighting ring stole family-owned dogs and duct taped their mouths shut. They then threw the dogs into a ring with the fighting dogs, who in turn practiced killing the pets.
Promoting and enabling such brutality is horrible and unforgivable. Anyone who does so should be locked up -- and Vick was, and he has now served his entire sentence.
Furthermore, since the trial, Vick has attempted to make amends. He has apologized to the public, and people close to him say he seems truly affected by and remorseful about his past actions. He has also begun extensive charity work with PETA and is said to have broken all ties with anyone involved in the ring.
Goodell, however, feels the need to further punish Vick. I think Goodell is trying to prevent Vick from playing in the early weeks of the NFL in order to prevent early-season coverage from being overshadowed by the negative media attention that Vick often attracts.
But, just like it is not Goodell's job to override acts of the U.S. justice system, it is not his job to try to placate the media.
To keep Vick from returning to the NFL would be to deprive sports fans of the pleasure that comes in watching great athletes. Vick was one of the most exciting players in football. He used to personally fill up highlight reels, and he holds the NFL record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season. And I expect not much has changed since, reportedly, he has stayed in shape by playing prison football during his incarceration.
If a team wants to take a chance on Vick and deal with the potential of negative press that could result from it, then the team should be allowed to do so.
Goodell's recent actions have stepped over his boundaries as NFL commissioner. As commissioner, his job is not to amend or enforce the decisions of the criminal justice system, nor is it to try to control the NFL's portrayal in the media. His job is to help ensure that the NFL plays the best football games that they possibly can.
