Michael Vick, the star National Football League quarterback whose career was interrupted by a dogfighting conviction, has reached an endorsement agreement with athletic equipment maker Nike.
"We have re-signed Michael Vick as a Nike athlete," Megan Saalfeld, a Nike spokeswoman, said in an e-mail to CNN.
See rare photos of Michael Vick
Vick, currently on the roster of the Philadelphia Eagles, served 20 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to bankrolling a dogfighting operation. He has since emerged as a spokesman against dogfighting.
"Michael acknowledges his past mistakes," Saalfeld said. "We do not condone those actions, but we support the positive changes he has made to better himself off the field. "
Just because I think he's a pig doesn't make me a racist. I just hope the ads show him running in those shoes away from the souls of all the innocent dogs he murdered and tortured.
If Michael Vick, had been treated the same as any one of us....
we would not be having this conversation.........
Because his a$$ would still be in jail, like it should be.
@stoptheracism: hmm, let's see, oh I know how I'm better I don't make animals fight that's how! And yes I am a vegan, which means I don't wear leather or anything made with animal skin and I don't eat anything that comes from animals-not even milk, I use soy milk.
The man did the crime and did the time. I am glad to see him doing well and wish him the best. Everyone deserves a second chance. I just wish he was still in the ATL.
@just me: best point anyone on here has made today, very good job very good job indeed!
I applaud the turn around Michael has done with his life. I am a proud Eagles fan and equally proud to have MV as the QB. He has admitted and paid for his mistakes – it's time to forgive and forget. Let's focus on the positive community work he is now engaged with and the positive role model he is illustrating today.
I will *never* *ever* buy another pair of Nike again. In fact, I'm going to throw away the ones I have now.
Nobody listens to George he's just a hater and don't like to see success and redemption
I'll join you in a Nike Bon Fire! . . . once a dog murderer, always a dog murderer; I don't care how much time he did in prison – it wasn't enough. Did it bring back all those tortured animals . . . over 100?
That was the first thing I thought when I read the article. Amen
You can do what you think; it is your choice. Who cares; you may never reach the young man's status in a lifetime.
same here George!
Let's get it straight folks he didn't just "bankroll" a dog fighting ring he killed and tortured dogs by hand. From the indictment: But not a single line in the 18-page indictment will generate more rage toward Vick and the others charged - Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor - than a sentence near the end. It reads: "In or about April of 2007, Peace, Phillips and Vick executed approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging, drowning and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground." I hope he dies one day just like the dogs he tortured for SIX YEARS!
I agree 150 percent! . . . slamming a poor dog into the ground . . .they loved the torture; a bullet to the brain wouldn't have been any fun.
@DCR: it isn't whether they're bred to attack, it's that they are one of the most unpredictable I've seen them turn on their own owners, owners who treated them well by the way. Also they're bite per square inch is more powerful than nearly every other breed, that is what makes them so dangerous. I had a elderly neighbor lady that was attacked and nearly killed by one her husband found her barely alive when he left her outside for only a short time by herself. Mind you this dog was treated well by them they're a very kind elderly couple. You are playing with fire by letting that dog run around like that and one day you will get burned. BTW you are responsible if you're dog maims or kills someone, just so you know.
Well, I guess I won't be buying Nikes any time soon. No big deal. New Balance sneakers are terrific and they aren't represented by an animal torturer.
This is a sad day. He's a cruel and heartless PoS.
Let's get this straight: Vick did not turn his life around; he was forced to alter his pathetic leisure activities because he got caught. At what point in time do you people actually think he was going to suffer a crisis of conscious and immediately halt the cruel inhuman things he was doing? He is a pathetic excuse for a human being and I really look forward to another season of the Eagles choking miserably.
well said. Sociopaths are incapable of remorse or empathy. He is still the same sick person he always was.
You keep you opinion; it is only your opinion and nothing else. The world is watching at the young man and we all wish him well.
ahhh the almighty buck.
Sorry Nike, you just lost a customer. I don't care if he's "done his time" or paid a million dollars... I wouldn't care if it had been $5M... That doesn't do anything for the animals tortured and killed by him. The man is sick in the head. And those of you who really feel that we should all forgive and forget should probably get checked out too... I hope nobody ever does anything to anyone that you love but if they do, I want to see how easy you can "forgive and forget".
"like"
well said!
Everyone knows if he was white everything would have been covered up and he wouldn't have spent a day in jail
I have not purchased Nike in at least 15 years, as I prefer Adidas. I will now buy a pair of Nikes for them giving Vick a second chance.
Keep the faith brother; our loving God is forgiving. Thanks.