Frank Beamer coached Michael Vick. Mickey Matthews recruited him. Both think it’s good to see Vick back in the NFL with the news from today that the Newport News native and former Virginia Tech star has signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I believe Michael Vick understands very clearly the wrong that he did, and is very intent on making things right. I think that this is an opportunity for him to help a lot of people to not go down the same path that he went down. I look forward to watching the Eagles this season,” Beamer said in a statement released by the Virginia Tech sports-information department Friday.
Matthews, the coach at James Madison, was asked about the news regarding Vick, who has been out of the NFL for two years following his arrest and conviction on charges that he led a criminal dogfighting ring.
“I think it’s great. Mike Vick’s a good kid. He got too big for his britches. He’s a good kid,” said Matthews, who was responsible for recruiting Vick when he was on the staff at Georgia back in the 1990s.
“He’ll have to stay with that the rest of his life. It’s not like it’s going to end next year. I’m sure like a lot of us after he’s done something what an unintelligent thing he did and he’s very sorry. But life moves on. He has to move on, and I believe he has,” Matthews said.
“I won’t make light of what he did. I’m the biggest dog lover in America. It’s a horrible thing he did. But he is just a kid. You can’t forget that,” Matthews said.
– Story by Chris Graham
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