Showing that the bad decisions didn’t stop with Kyle Shanahan’s play-calling in the Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons announced Friday that superstar-turned-inmate Michael Vick, who took a $130 million contract from the team and reciprocated by lying about his involvement in a dogfighting ring that eventually sent him to federal prison, will be honored and feted with a retirement ceremony so he can call it quits as a member of the franchise he nearly brought to ruin.
“We consider all former Falcons to be Falcons for life, and part of our family,” said owner Arthur Blank in a 600-word statement that made no mention of dogs, fighting, jail, suspensions or why a “household name” who “generated excitement throughout the city of Atlanta” with his “historic” play and “legitimate dual-threat” talent played only six seasons for a team that deemed him so important that they’ll hold a special ceremony so he can be recognized for those six years when he wasn’t a convicted dog killer.