Vick suspended indefinitely after tendering a plea.
For all of the big words and life lessons Roger Goodell incorporated in his booming statement to Michael Vick’s admission of dogfighting involvement, the NFL commissioner’s message appears to have been reduced to two words: Nice try.
Goodell suspended the Atlanta Falcons quarterback indefinitely without pay on Friday, only hours after Vick entered a plea agreement portraying him as less active than three co-defendants and mostly guilty of poor judgment in associating with them.
In a letter to Vick, Goodell chastised him for “reprehensible” actions, including associating with gambling people in violation of NFL rules. He also chastised him for attempting to portray himself as someone other than the ringleader. Goodell wrote, “You are now justifiably facing consequences for the decisions you made and the conduct in which you engaged. Your career, freedom, and public standing are now in the most serious jeopardy.”
Vick admitted to bankrolling gambling on dogfights, but he denied making bets or accepting any gains. He admitted that dogs unworthy of the pit were killed “as a result of the collective efforts” of himself and two other offenders.
Goodell chose not to wait until Monday, when U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson in Richmond, Va., will formally accept the plea and arrange a sentencing hearing that could place Vick in jail for one to five years.
The commissioner stated that Vick’s admitted conduct was “not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible.” Despite the fact that he did not personally place any wagers, “your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL player contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player.”
Goodell allowed the Falcons to “assert any claims or remedies” to recover $22 million of Vick’s signing bonus from his 10-year, $130 million contract inked in 2004.
The commissioner did not communicate with Vick and made his decision solely on court records. According to NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello, Goodell may meet with Vick in the future, and Goodell has stated that the ban will be reviewed following all legal proceedings.
“You have engaged in conduct detrimental to the welfare of the NFL and have violated the league’s personal conduct policy,” Goodell wrote Vick in a letter following a meeting in New York with Falcons president and general manager Rich McKay.
The Falcons’ owner, Arthur Blank, endorsed Goodell’s decision.
“We hope that Michael will use this time, not only to further address his legal matters, but to take positive steps to improve his personal life,” Blank said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Nike terminated Vick’s contract.
Vick and his lawyers signed a “summary of facts” on Friday, which was filed with his written plea deal on a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge.
“While Mr. Vick is not personally charged with or responsible for all of the acts alleged in the indictment, as with any conspiracy charge, he accepts full responsibility for his actions and the actions of the others involved,” the defense team stated in a written statement following the plea agreement’s filing.
“Mr. Vick apologizes for his poor judgment in associating himself with those involved in dog fighting and realizes he should never have been involved in this conduct,” the statement went on to say.
Vick and his lawyers stated that his participation with the Bad Newz Kennels was minimal.
“Our position has been that we are going to try to help Judge Hudson understand all of the facts and Michael’s role,” Vick’s defense attorney, Billy Martin, said during a phone interview. “Michael’s role was different than others associated with this incident.”
Vick stated in court records that he provided the majority of the Bad Newz Kennels operation and gambling funds, repeating language from the three co-defendants’ plea deals – Tony Taylor, Purnell Peace, and Quanis Phillips.
According to the statement, when the dogs won, Taylor, Peace, and Phillips divided the gambling proceeds.
“Vick did not place side bets on any of the fights. Vick did not receive any of the earnings from the purses won by Bad Newz Kennels, according to court documents.
According to the statement, Vick was allegedly engaged in the killing of six to eight canines who did not perform properly during April testing sessions. The dogs were killed via drowning or hanging.
“Vick agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts” of Vick, Phillips, and Peace, the statement reads.
In the plea agreement, the government agreed to propose a sentence in the lower end of the federal sentencing guideline range of a year to 18 months. However, the conspiracy accusation carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail, and the judge is not bound by any recommendations or guidelines.
Hudson is known for giving harsh punishments, according to lawyers who have appeared in his court. The court will establish a sentencing date during Monday’s session.
Martin stated that Vick will “speak to the public and explain his actions.” Though he declined to identify when or where, the Tom Joyner Morning Show, a Dallas-based syndicated program, confirmed a live interview with Vick on Tuesday.
The case began in April, when investigators conducting a drug investigation on Vick’s cousin searched a Surry County property owned by Vick and discovered scores of dogs, some injured, as well as equipment often used in dogfighting.
Vick, Peace, Phillips, and Taylor were charged with interstate dogfighting conspiracy in a federal indictment handed down in July. Vick first denied any involvement, and all four men claimed innocence. The three co-defendants eventually pled guilty and agreed to testify against Vick.
Taylor was the first to modify his plea, claiming Vick funded the dogfighting ring’s gambling and operations. Peace and Phillips quickly followed, stating that Vick assisted them in killing dogs who did not perform well in test fights.
The horrifying allegations detailed in the indictment and other court documents sparked global outrage against Vick, who was once one of the NFL’s most beloved players.
