Virginia Lawyers Weekly

LEXINGTON—NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says Michael Vick has paid a significant price for doing an “egregious thing’’ and will have to show genuine remorse and a new attitude to get a chance at resuming his career in the league.

Goodell appeared last week at Washington & Lee University in a panel discussion about leadership in sports and taking questions from the audience.

Afterward, Goodell said he has not kept up with Vick’s legal issues since suspending the star quarterback from the league after his conviction in a federal dogfighting case. Vick is serving a 23-month prison term and has a team of lawyers trying to settle his finances in bankruptcy court.

A major component of the bankruptcy lawyers’ efforts to find a way for Vick to satisfy his creditors is based on his ability to again earn millions in pro American football.

Goodell said after the panel discussion that he’ll consider Vick’s case only after all his legal issues have been resolved.

“At that point in time, I will want to meet with Michael, I will want to meet with his people, I will want to meet with other professionals to understand: Does he understand the mistakes he made and is he genuine and have remorse for those actions and is he prepared to handle himself differently going forward? That will ultimately be my decision.’’

Many have speculated that Vick would become a lightning rod for animal rights groups and others if he was reinstated and added to a team’s roster, but Goodell said he thinks the public will apply the same standard he’ll use when determining whether to allow him to return.

“Our issue is trying to do the right thing and represent the NFL in the best possible way,’’ said the commissioner, whose institution and enforcement of a personal conduct policy has seen him send Vick and numerous other stars to the sidelines for off-the-field trouble.

“Michael did an egregious thing. He has paid a very significant price for that. If he’s learned from that and is prepared to live a different life, I think the general public is forgiving on that when people are genuine and they show remorse and are prepared to live a different life,’’ he said. “That’s something he has to prove to myself and the general public.’’

Vick, 28 and once the NFL’s highest paid player with a seven-year contract for $130 million, is scheduled to be released from a federal penitentiary on July 20, but could be transferred to home confinement in Hampton as early as May 21.

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