Talk about making a comeback. Not only has Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick rebounded from his incarceration for dog-fighting with an enormous contract and endorsement deals – now he plans to launch a sports clothing line.
V7 will be sold exclusively at East Coast sporting goods shop Modell’s, which primarily are located on the east coast.
The line is the latest image-restoration move for Vick, who spent 18 months in federal prison after being convicted of bankrolling a dog-fighting ring and was released in 2009. He is now among the highest-paid players in the NFL with a deal potentially worth $100 million and recently married longtime fiancée Kijafa Frink. Vick has re-signed with Nike and added other endorsements for companies such as MusclePharm Corp.
He has been an advocate against animal cruelty and a model citizen. The unprofessional acts that plagued his pre-prison career — no-shows for events, unwillingness to prepare for games – no longer exist. He’s shown himself to be a changed man and a mature leader on the field. That is how he can recover from such a barrage of negative attention to where he his today.
His sports clothing line includes technical athletic gear such as T-shirts. Best of all, part of the proceeds from sales of V7 will go to the Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia.
This venture was developed in a licensing partnership with celebrity clothing-line mogul Ruby Azrak and former ICM talent agent Brian Sher, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. A spokesman for Modell’s did not immediately return a request for comment.
Vick, a former Atlanta Falcon, led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 10-6 record and an NFC East title in 2010 and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year. He faced injuries and inconsistent performance in the 2011 season as the Eagles got off to a slow start that was too much to overcome.
