Finally Free by Michael Vick, Tony Dungy

grow up, or I would decay.

Chapter Four
    Favorite Falcon
    â€œI could have done more.”
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    T he moment I announced my decision, my life changed forever. I was leaving behind all that I knew and had become accustomed to—leaving the nest. There was no turning back; I felt I was ready to spread my wings and fly even higher than before.
    The cast around me was changing. The landscape below was changing. There was no more Coach Beamer, Tech support staff, or anything like that. I had my friends, my marketing reps, and my agents. People were coming at me from all over the place to be in the “Business of Michael Vick.” There was a lot happening around me, and all I wanted was to get drafted. I was a kid. I wasn’t even twenty-one years old.
    For me, the whole draft process began when I was invited to attend the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Elite players from across the country are selected by NFL general managers and other executives to attend the combine. The players are put through a series of physical tests, medical exams, football drills, psychological evaluations, and interviews with team personnel.
    I chose not to participate in many of the activities at the combine. But I did sit for all of the exams and interviews, which I believe went really well. I waited until my Pro Day at Virginia Tech to show my athletic abilities. Pro Days are held by college football programs to showcase their prospects’ talent to NFL scouts. Essentially, they are mini-combines held on campus for NFL teams to attend if they want.
    I was a little nervous that morning in March when my Pro Day arrived, but in the end, I tore it up. I ran the forty-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, a speed unmatched by any other quarterback. More importantly though, I performed at an extremely high level in the football drills; I don’t know if I could have done better than I did. I think I completed all but one of my throws, putting only one ball on the ground. My accuracy was on, and my velocity was excellent as well. My arm felt strong, and I was throwing hard—so hard, in fact, that I broke one of my receiver’s fingers with a pass. In addition to that, my timing was on. I was putting it all together: accuracy, velocity, timing, and footwork.
    I felt great after my Pro Day; I was full of confidence. I felt like I put in strong performances at my individual workouts with the teams too. What I had accomplished made me feel like the top prospect for the draft. In reality, I didn’t care if I was the first pick in the first round or the third pick in the third round; I just wanted the opportunity to play professional football.

    Just like the prior year, I had become a national story and was on the cover of ESPN The Magazine . Every football pundit on television was talking about me during predraft coverage on CBS, NBC, ESPN, etc.; some of the talk was positive, some was negative, and some of it just raised questions.
    A few experts had the opportunity to share their thoughts with Sports Illustrated .
    Former New York Giants Super Bowl-winning quarterback Phil Simms was quoted as saying, “The real question you have to ask yourself is whether any person in this draft can change your franchise. There’s one: Michael Vick.”
    James Harris, the director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens at the time, said, “He could well become one of the greatest playmakers in NFL history.”
    But on the flip side, Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh—the 49ers vice president and GM at the time—said, “He has more potential than [Drew] Brees, but I don’t see how he’ll be able to play regularly until his third year.”
    Some people said I wouldn’t stay healthy or play for long, given my penchant for running and throwing my body around; plus, I was considered small. They also questioned whether I could transfer my skills and the excitement I brought in college to the NFL.
    All of it