Legal Commentary

Michael Vick Signed by Philadelphia Eagles

By Jeralyn

Michael Vick has been signed to a two year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

My view: He's done his time, he's entitled to re-enter society and get back to work. Football is a sport, it's not a job that requires some greater degree of purity than any other job.

Under the reinstatement plan, Vick can participate in preseason practices, workouts, meetings, and play in the Eagles' final two exhibition games. He could receive full reinstatement at any point, but Goodell said he would grant that by the weekend of Oct. 18-19 at the latest, provided Vick lives up to his end of the agreement.

According to Fox's Jay Glazer, Vick signed a one-year, $1.6-million contract with a team option for 2010. The option is for $5.2 million.

[More...]

Even the President of the Human Society of the United States is pleased:

Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of the Human Society of the United States, said Vick's winding up in Philadelphia is good news for the anti-dogfighting campaign.

"It's a city we've been looking at very closely because it has a major dogfighting problem," Pacelle said in a phone interview. "So Vick's landing there has the potential to turn around the issue. This gives us a big boost."

I'm glad for Michael Vick. I hope it leads to other employers giving ex-offenders another chance.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 13, 2009 (boomark / email).