Michael Vick says it hurts to not be starting quarterback
By Bryan Rose
When Michael Vick left the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, he did so under the assumption that he wouldn’t be able to beat out Nick Foles for the starting quarterback job.
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It was a safe assumption considering Philadelphia was sold on Foles, but Vick felt he was still a starting quarterback in the NFL.
In the end, Vick decided to sign with the New York Jets who seemed to have an open competition for the starting gig considering it was only Geno Smith blocking the way, but the coaching staff has all but anointed Smith as the starter leaving Vick to clipboard duty.
The former Pro Bowler isn’t thrilled with that, despite being a company man and saying all the right things in the past, now stating that he’s ‘hurting’ that he’s on backup duty.
“It’s hard not to,” Vick told Kimberly Jones. “I think, at times, it does hurt deep down that I’m not in that group (of the 32 starting QBs in the NFL). Everything happens for a reason, and maybe it’s time for me to just kind of sit back and kind of appreciate what I’m going through now to make me a better quarterback in the future.”
Vick only signed a one-year contract with the Jets so if he’s unable to beat out Smith come training camp, he’ll still have an opportunity to find a starting gig elsewhere next season.
For what it’s worth, the quarterback says he’s open to playing a few more seasons though considering the vast majority of his game is built of athleticism, you have to wonder how effective he’ll be as he ages.