NFL Sacks Report of Vick Suspension
League Says No Decision Has Been Made About Quarterback's 2007-2008 Status
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Escorted by U.S. marshals, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick leaves the federal courthouse following his arraignment in Richmond, Va. Vick and three associates were indicted earlier this month on charges related to their alleged role in an interstate dogfighting ring. (Pool Photo)
Aug. 13, 2007
The NFL denied a weekend report by Yahoo! Sports that it will suspend Atlanta Falcons star quarterback and federal dogfighting defendant Michael Vick for the upcoming season.
"No decision has been made," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told USA Today Sunday night, responding to the Yahoo story, which cited anonymous league sources. The NFL ordered a review of Vick's case after his July 17 indictment on federal dogfighting charges.
The independent review, Goodell told USA Today last week, would be done within a couple of weeks, to be followed by a league determination of Vick's 2007-2008 status.
Jason Cole, a national NFL writer for Yahoo! Sports, reported Sunday that sources said Goodell, who has played strict disciplinarian in his first year as commissioner, would announce his decision to suspend Vick this week or next.
Goodell told Vick not to report to the Falcons' training camp last month after prosecutors announced a federal indictment against Vick and three other men connecting them to an organized dogfighting ring based out of a property Vick owns in Virginia.
Vick's case could go to trial as early as November. Already, one of Vick's co-defendants, Tony Taylor, pleaded guilty to lesser charges in exchange for cooperating with prosecutors -- a deal that will require him to testify against Vick.
Meanwhile, the start of the football season is approaching. The first round of exhibition games have been played, including the Falcons first test of the season, a 31-16 road loss against the New York Jets.
The Falcons, who are under the first-year control of former Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino, will play three more exhibition games before a regular season opener against the Vikings in Minneapolis on Sept. 9 -- less than a month away.
If Vick were allowed to remain with the team, he would likely face intense fan scrutiny on the road and perhaps even at home. The indictment against Vick sparked widespread outrage and calls for his immediate suspension.
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