Video: Eagles’ Michael Vick rips teammates for bad season
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick blasted some of his teammates for their “lack of effort” following a 4-12 season and the firing of head coach Andy Reid after 14 years.
“Until you get guys who are willing to better themselves week in and week out and want to win, you’re not going to win,” Vick told Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. “And I haven’t played with guys like that. It’s unfortunate for coach things turned out the way they are. It could have been a lot better. This locker room could have dictated that.”
Vick said he gave more effort than many of his teammates.
“I give 110 percent effort,” Vick said. “My body is scarred up all year. I’m hurt, I’m bruised, get up after every hit and still try and fight and push. I do that for my coaches. I do that for my teammates. And I would expect the same thing in return.”
Vick was frustrated after the Eagles fired Reid on Monday. Reid, and others on the Eagles team, gave Vick a second chance in the NFL after Vick spent 19 months in prison for illegal dog fighting. In 2011, Vick signed a six-year, $100 million contract.
The 2012 season was a disaster. The Eagles had their worst season since 1998. Vick, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin agree that the “new faces” failed to “buy in” to Reid and his system.
“Guys have to start to understand: You can’t do it your way,” Vick said. “You have to follow the leader. If you don’t then we end up in the situation we are in now, losing the head coach, a man that we love and have a great deal of respect for — a man that I played hard for. I gave him 100 percent. At least I can feel good about that. And there are guys in here that gave it their all. But you need consistent effort from every guy in this locker room.”
Of course, quarterbacks need to show leadership. Vick didn’t speak up and call out problem players.
“I should have done it,” Vick admitted. “But I tried to take the modest approach, I tried to lead by example. I held a team meeting and tried to help guys recommit. It was still the same thing over and over again. I’m not going to tell a grown man the same thing twice because the reason I ended up incarcerated was because people told me the same thing over and over again and I didn’t listen. I feel like if you don’t learn in the first go-around, you disregard it. You just deal with the consequences because there will always be consequences.”
Vick may be the next one to be fired. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t want to restructure his contract.
As for the Eagles, they have a total rebuild ahead.
“There is a lot of work to be done,” Vick said.
Look here: Vick’s only buddy is He Hate Me.
Nonetheless, perhaps Andy Reid could go back to being a FATHER, for once.