Michael Vick is finding himself this year in a quite unfamiliar place — the backup role.
Vick was brought in by the New York Jets to provide a steady hand behind Geno Smith and some leadership to help the second-year player get past the inconsistency of his rookie year and make the leap. And reports say it’s a role that Vick has embraced, helping Smith develop into a more confident quarterback.
Reports from the Jets training camp indicate that it is Geno Smith’s job to loose, even though the team hasn’t ofiically named a starter.
Smith has outperformed Vick in camp , though Vick has also looked quite sharp. As the team approaches its first preseason game, Vick said the time has come to brush off the rust and get playing.
“It’s getting closer to game time. We have to start focusing on correcting the little things, not missing protections, not jumping offside, get some more big plays down the field,” Vick said.
While Michael Vick may have no problem playing the backup role now, he also does not sell himself short when it comes to NFL history. Vick said that he was the man responsible for the influx of big, mobile quarterbacks like Cam Newton.
“I was the guy who started it all,” the New York Jets quarterback told ESPN earlier this year. “I revolutionized the game. I changed the way it was played in the NFL.”
Vick has the resume to back up the claim. He is the league’s all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks with 5,857 yards despite losing two of his prime seasons while imprisoned on dog fighting charges.
“The things I’ve done, I’ve pretty much surpassed myself and expectations — over 25,000 yards in total offense in the NFL, and I missed a lot of years and a lot of games,” he said.
“That’s more the reason I have to keep it going.”
