Vick understands why he is the No. 3 QB

[hawaiiansteeler]

Vick regrets that he couldn't help Steelers more, but understands why he is No. 3 QB

November 24, 2015
By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Mike Vick went from helping to keep the Steelers afloat, from starting three games, winning two and holding the lead in another, to No. 3 quarterback behind Landry Jones and not suiting up the past four games.

If he has a hand in the outcome Sunday, it will have to come this week in practice when he mimics mobile Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in practice for the Steelers defense. Then, he will again watch out of uniform as Ben Roethlisberger takes CenturyLink Field in Seattle and Jones backs him up.

Once one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks, Vick finds himself in a position where the only way he can help now is through injury, in practices or as a sideline consultant.

“There’s still a lot of football games,” Vick said after the Steelers resumed practice Monday after their long weekend off. “I just have to do whatever I’m asked to do. I’m not in position to cry about it or talk about it. I have to be the consummate pro right now.

“I can say, do I like it? I can’t say it’s something as a competitor you want to do, but you have to keep rolling with the punches.

“I understand it, I understand the whole situation, and that makes it easier.”

The situation is this: Vick, signed late in the preseason, lost his job as a backup even though he was 2-1 as a starter and helped guide the Steelers to a 12-6 victory in St. Louis as a reliever. There, in the season’s third game, Roethlisberger left in the third quarter with a knee injury that would keep him out for the next four games.

Vick started the next game against Baltimore but two missed Josh Scobee field goals helped the Ravens win in overtime. He then started and won at San Diego. He left early in his next start against Arizona with a hamstring injury, and Jones came on to direct the offense to four consecutive scoring drives and a victory.

Jones started the next game, a loss in Kansas City, but Steelers coaches have decided to stay with the younger quarterback as No. 2, partly because he knows the offense much better. It was Jones who started their most recent game against Cleveland before he, too, was hurt, and Roethlisberger finished up the victory.

The Steelers did not sign Vick until Aug. 25, and he missed all of training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. He then took over as their quarterback one month later.

Although signed to a one-year contract, he would like to try it with them again next year with a full spring and training camp.

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http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/s...s/201511240050

[TeeTee]

He understands it? Does that mean he understands he totally sucks? They won't even consider signing him for 1 more season; no way in hell.

[fansince'76]

Cool, I'm glad he "understands it."

First he pops off about Ben not playing against the Browns and now this. He really needs to STFU already...

[TeeTee]

Cool, I'm glad he "understands it."

First he pops off about Ben not playing against the Browns and now this. He really needs to STFU already...

He's never been the sharpest knife in the drawer. He has gone from the super star of the entire NFL to this. He's just trying to squeeze out one more NFL year of checks.

[Drazo85]

I really think this guy is a good man. He looks like he learned his lesson, and im glad for him.

[TeeTee]

I really think this guy is a good man. He looks like he learned his lesson, and im glad for him.

I love stories of redemption. I wish him the best; it's just that I don't want him QB-ing the Steelers ever again.

[Born2Steel]

What's to understand? If it wasn't for a couple backup QB injuries in preseason, Vick would have been watching this entire season from the couch. That should have been understood from the phone call.

[GoSlash27]

I love stories of redemption. I wish him the best; it's just that I don't want him QB-ing the Steelers ever again.

Same here. And I don't even care whether he's a good quarterback or not. He is a convicted felon and IMO that should be enough to disqualify him from wearing black 'n' gold. I wish him well on some other team.

[steelreserve]

Same here. And I don't even care whether he's a good quarterback or not. He is a convicted felon and IMO that should be enough to disqualify him from wearing black 'n' gold. I wish him well on some other team.

Let's not kid ourselves: The days of the Steelers "holding their players to a higher standard" than other teams are over, if they ever even existed in the first place. The only criteria are how well a guy can play, and whether the distraction caused by having him outweighs the good he would do.

I don't really ever think it had much to do with wanting players who had high moral character in their off-the-field behavior. Just avoiding players who were assholes that would cause problems in the locker room. That's all it was ever about, and it still happens to be a good strategy for fielding a winning team. Past that, they can be felons or they can be devout Christians who volunteer at the soup kitchen and give blood every two weeks; nobody cares. And they never did.

Personally, I really don't give a shit what these guys are like off the field. I don't know them and I don't hang out with them. I just watch them make entertaining plays on a television screen and that is the extent of my relationship with them. I don't want to see Vick back next year either, but that's because he sucked on the field and obviously has lost most of what made him valuable to begin with.

[Steeldude]

Vick understands something? I doubt it.