Petition calls for disgraced quarterback Michael Vick to be removed as honorary 2020 Pro Bowl captain over horrific animal abuse
NFL fans are now circulating a public petition that calls for the league to remove former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick as one of four Legends captains at the 2020 Pro Bowl.
The petition has already garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures from people calling for the change due to Vick's history of animal abuse which was revealed around 12 years ago.
As of Saturday, December 7, more than 283,000 people had signed the petition which was initially started by Joanna Lind on change.org, reported by Fox News. The goal was simple—to remove the former quarterback from a role that would glorify him since he would 'be honored' and act as a mentor for the players.
"Just saw this on Facebook and was absolutely disgusted," Lind wrote, adding: "When is the NFL going to take any responsibility for the behavior of its current and former players? To honor a man who had zero regard for animals is unacceptable and I would like your help to make sure he is NOT honored at the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl."
Back in 2007, Vick had served 18 months out of a 23-month sentence in federal prison after being found guilty of running a "cruel and inhumane" dogfighting ring operation in Virginia titled 'Bad Newz Kennels'.
Sharing the heinous details of abusive treatment these dogs went through, Lind cited an excerpt from the book 'The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption', on the petition's description page.
Vick's imminent downfall resulted in bankruptcy and a marred reputation. For two NFL seasons—2007 and 2008—he was out of the league, all the way until 2010 when he announced his comeback with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Before retiring in 2017 and after serving his jail time, Vick threw in a decent 10,959 yards for the Eagles, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.
He then signed up as a Fox Sports analyst soon after.