Former quarterback Michael Vick is one of the most popular players in NFL history.
He was an electrifying force on the field, especially during his early days with the Atlanta Falcons.
By all accounts, he was beloved by his teammates and is often credited to be an inspiration for many players who followed his footsteps into the league.
Of course, the only thing faster than Vick’s rise to stardom was his fall from grace.
In 2007, Vick pled guilty to his involvement in a vicious dog fighting ring. He ended up spending 21 months in federal prison.
Interestingly, Vick revealed the one hobby he fell in love with while in prison.
Speaking to FOX News Digital, Vick spoke about how obsessed he became with playing chess while locked behind bars.
“I was always intrigued about it, all the pieces on the board and a lot to learn,” Vick said.
“A friend of mine and I, we spent like three months learning how to play it. We took a three-month course on how to play it. After that, he was telling me I was ready to go. That’s kind of how I fell in love with it.”
During his incarceration, Vick dedicated three months to learning chess, receiving guidance from a friend before feeling ready to take on opponents.
His interest persisted beyond his release, leading him to participate in Chess.com’s BlitzChamps tournament alongside other notable NFL figures such as Kyler Murray and Larry Fitzgerald, with Justin Reid emerging as the tournament champion.
Reflecting on his experience in the tournament, Vick admitted to facing challenges but expressed his relentless passion for the game.
“I wish I could play more. Being able to get on the Chess.com app got me back into it. Whenever I’m traveling or moving around, I’m trying to play it and find a way to challenge myself. I love chess, man. I really do,” he said.
Vick drew parallels between football and chess, emphasizing the mental demands of both activities.
“It’s hard to say [what’s harder]. It takes a while to put together a playbook. When you can play the game and be confident and out-do the opponent – I feel like playing quarterback is like playing chess. All the thinking and trying to beat the defense,” Vick said.
Despite not advancing far in the tournament, Vick remains committed to improving his chess skills.
He views chess as a stimulating pastime in his post-playing career.
“Chess is a great way to kill the time,” he added.
Vick appeared in 143 games during his 13-year NFL career. He threw for 22,464 yards, 133 touchdowns and 88 interceptions.
Known as one of the best running quarterbacks of all-time, Vick added 6,109 yards on the ground along with 36 scores.
Currently, he serves as an NFL analyst for FOX Sports.
What are your thoughts on Vick’s legacy as both a player and person.
It goes without saying that many will never forgive him for what he did to all of those innocent dogs.
He served his time and seems to be doing his best to lead a respectable life and serve as a good role model for the many who still look up to him.
Do you think if Vick never got involved in dog fighting and didn’t have any interruption to his playing career he would have gone down as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history???