Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Well, that didn't take long. Nike dumped Michael Vick when he filed a plea agreement admitting his involvement in a dogfighting ring in 2007, but now the company has signed him to a new deal. I guess Nike watched that performance Sunday (7 rushing yards) and just couldn't resist.
Interestingly, it wasn't Nike who announced the deal Wednesday. It was the managing director of the agency that represents Vick who made the statement. It seems like Nike would've taken more of a wait-and-see approach with Vick, who just played in his first regular-season game since '06. But this shouldn't come as a complete shock. Vick jerseys are apparently flying off the shelves across the country and everyone loves a good redemption story.
There hasn't been as much backlash to the signing as many of us expected, and I'm sure Nike's been watching that situation. I'm sure this deal isn't nearly as lucrative as the one Vick signed in 2001, but it's still a good sign for the former Falcon. And now that Nike has shown its hand, I'm sure it will lead to more endorsements for the quarterback.
Vick will never be able to see himself as a backup quarterback -- and apparently Nike agrees. It's betting that his comeback will be successful. But something tells me Nike has hedged its bet with a couple of strong escape clauses.
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Matt Mosley
Mosley, an award-winning writer for The Dallas Morning News for seven years, joined ESPN.com in January 2007. Mosley, a Baylor graduate, writes columns, features and blogs for ESPN.com.
