FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Michael Vick, the top pick in the NFL draft,
signed a $62 million, six-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons on
Wednesday, the richest deal for a rookie in league history.
Vick is guaranteed $15.3 million through the first three years,
including a signing bonus of $3 million.
|  | | Michael Vick, left, officially joined Dan Reeves' Falcons on Wednesday. |
"There's been a lot of hard work," Vick said. "It all paid
off in the end."
Chris Chandler, who remains the No. 1 quarterback in Atlanta,
agreed to restructure his contract to fit Vick's deal under the
salary cap. General manager Harold Richardson said the Falcons
would probably have about $400,000 left to spend after signing
their remaining rookies.
The negotiations with Vick were a mere formality after the
Falcons traded with San Diego for the No. 1 pick a day before the
draft.
Vick's agents had already discussed their terms with the
Chargers, who weren't willing to meet the price. The Falcons were.
"It's important for a young man to have his contract out of the
way so he can focus on football," coach Dan Reeves said. "We're
asking an awful lot from these guys. They have to play faster than
they have in the past."
While the Falcons want to get Vick into the lineup as soon as
possible, they also want to give him time to learn the offensive
system and get more comfortable with pro defenses, which are much
more complicated than anything he faced at Virginia Tech.
"If anyone thinks he's going to come in here and every day will
be sunshine and roses, well, that's just not life," Reeves said.
"He's not gotten where he's at without dealing with some tough
times. That's why he's such a great player."
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Highest-paid quarterbacks
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Michael Vick's new average salary of $10.3 million per year ties him for the third-highest salary among NFL quarterbacks. In terms of accomplishment, though, Vick has a way to go. Three of the other QBs on this list have at least 85 career touchdown passes, and Brett Favre and Kurt Warner each have a Super Bowl title to their credit.
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Name
|
Per year
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TDs*
|
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Kurt Warner
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$11.8M
|
62
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Peyton Manning
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$11.0M
|
85
|
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Michael Vick
|
$10.3M
|
0
|
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Charlie Batch
|
$10.3M
|
37
|
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Brett Favre
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$10.1M
|
255
|
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Mark Brunell
|
$7.5M
|
106
|
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*Career touchdown passes
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Vick had the pen used to sign the contract in the front pocket
of his jacket.
"That's a souvenir I'm going to keep forever," he said,
grinning.
The Falcons, who have a 9-23 record since an improbable run to
the 1999 Super Bowl, gave up three draft picks and
receiver-returner Tim Dwight to get Vick. The 20-year-old
quarterback played just two years at Virginia Tech before turning
pro.
At a rookie mini-camp last weekend, Vick ran the 40-yard dash in
4.36 seconds, the fastest time among the 19 draft picks and college
free agents at the mandatory camp. He later sat out some drills
with an upset stomach, which he attributed to overeating at lunch.
At 6-foot-1, Vick is slightly shorter than the optimum height
pro scouts look for in a quarterback. But his quickness and agility
made him one of the best players in college football the past two
seasons.
As a redshirt freshman, Vick led Division I-A in passing
efficiency and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. In one
of his best performances, he passed for 225 yards and ran for 97
more against Florida State in the 2000 championship game, which the
Hokies lost 46-29.
Last season, Virginia Tech's hopes were hampered by Vick's
severely sprained right ankle. But he finished his career with a
solid performance in a 41-20 victory over Clemson in the Gator
Bowl. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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Michael Vick is excited he and the Falcons could agree on a contract so quickly.
Michael Vick knows he has a period of hard work ahead of him.