Michael Vick, the once-dynamic NFL quarterback whose involvement in a dogfighting ring paused a wide ranging profession in its prime, has agreed to come back out of retirement to affix startup league Fan Managed Soccer, a supply informed Reuters on Friday.
Vick, who was the No. 1 choose within the 2001 NFL draft and who final suited up for an NFL recreation in 2015, will make his debut on Might 28, the final day of the common season, in response to the supply, who stated an official announcement is predicted subsequent week.
The 41-year-old has not but been assigned a crew.
Vick is the most recent high-profile participant to enroll with Fan Managed Soccer, becoming a member of a bunch that features Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Terrell Owens and Johnny Manziel, whose much-hyped NFL profession fizzled out after two seasons.
In accordance with the supply, Vick agreed to a comeback after seeing the success that good pal Owens has been having since he signed with the league this yr.
Fan Managed Soccer, which this yr doubled in dimension to eight groups for its second season, is a condensed 7-on-7 fashion of American soccer that’s performed on a 50-yard indoor subject and acts as a real-life online game that enables followers to name the performs.
Vick was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons with the primary choose of the 2001 draft, making him the primary Black quarterback to be taken with the highest choose, and he went on to dazzle followers together with his breakaway working pace and highly effective passing arm.
A standout in Atlanta for many of his six seasons with the Falcons, Vick pleaded responsible in 2007 and apologized for his function in an unlawful dogfighting enterprise often called Unhealthy Newz Kennels that in the end noticed him spend almost two years in jail.
Vick returned in 2009 with the Philadelphia Eagles, serving as a seldom-used backup however then taking up the beginning function the subsequent season, when he was at his greatest en path to being named the NFL Comeback Participant of the Yr and incomes the fourth Professional Bowl number of his profession.
After 5 seasons with Philadelphia, Vick went on to be a backup for the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers in what proved to be his closing two NFL seasons.
Vick formally retired in 2017 after having handed for 22,464 yards and 133 touchdowns throughout 13 NFL seasons, and his 6,109 profession speeding yards stays essentially the most by a quarterback.
Fan Managed Soccer’s seven-week common season, which will probably be adopted by playoffs, kicked off in mid-April. All video games are being held at a single Atlanta facility.
Vick is predicted to provide an extra enhance to Fan Managed Soccer rankings, which, 5 weeks into the season, have surpassed all of final season’s viewership mixed.
In accordance with Fan Managed Soccer, it has attracted over 12 million viewers throughout Twitch, Peacock, NBCLX, DAZN and fubo Sports activities Community this season.