Perhaps a glimpse into how the current Atlanta regime feels about their once face of the franchise, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a press conference Tuesday that the team was ready to suspend Michael Vick four games until commissioner Roger Goodell urged them not to.
“Prior to this, we were pursuing the maximum discipline, which is a four-game suspension,” Blank said. “We had gone so far as to draft the letter. But the commissioner asked us not to take action until they completed their review.”
Blank and the rest of the Falcons’ brass have taken a lot of heat recently for the way they have coddled Vick in the past. Whether that is just or not (personally, I think the man on trial is most to blame), at least the Falcons were ready to levy the biggest punishment they could possibly hand out before Goodell hit the pause button. Blank and GM Rich McKay also admitted an outright release of Vick was also discussed, but decided to hold off at this time.
Anyone who saw the presser and witnessed how Blank responded to questions could see a very distraught man. It appears Vick’s days in Atlanta are numbered and I for one, think it’s absolutely the best thing for the Falcons and the league that this guy doesn’t take another snap.
