Michael Vick was one of the most unique quarterbacks when he played in the league, and Jason Kelce recently sat down to explain what made him so special. Kelce and Michael Vick played together for several years when the speedster was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Kelce remembers being awestruck by Vick’s talents. Vick was the “og” dual-threat quarterback. He could run away from entire defenses and also sling the ball whenever he needed to.
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Now, we have runners like Justin Fields, Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilsons, Jalen Hurt, and more. We also had Cam Newton during his prime. All of these quarterbacks had a lot to learn from Vick. Vick was a speed demon, much like Fields and Jackson, currently, and both of them have taken a lot away from the former quarterback. He started his career with the Atlanta Falcons where he built his reputation for speed and running. He refined his game with the Eagles, leading them to playoff games and division titles.
Jason Kelce Describes How Great Michael Vick Was
Many rushing quarterbacks have come and gone since Vick’s days. The special thing about Vick was that he could throw the ball when he needed to, but the added edge of his rushing ability made him one of the hardest quarterbacks to defend.
Vick became the first quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season when he hit 1,039 with the Falcons in 2006. It took 13 years for another quarterback to join that list when Lamar Jackson hit 1,206 yards in 2019, the current record for a quarterback.
Last year, Justin Fields became the third quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards, also breaking the single-game rushing record in the regular season when he ran for 178 yards. The previous record holder? Michael Vick with 173 yards in 2002.
According to Jason Kelce, Vick’s throwing ability genuinely stood out to him. Kelce spoke on New Heights about Vick’s ability and recalled the incredible arm strength he had.
“The first time he threw the ball over my head, he had such a whip,” Kelce described. “Just like this end little snap that he would put on the ball. It was just, I’ve never to this day seen anybody have that.”
Vick Has Been Helping Justin Fields
While many quarterbacks have donned similarities to Vick, Fields seems to be next in line. Fields showcased just how explosive he can be, regularly rushing for 50+ yards.
This offseason, Fields was spotted training with Michael Vick at Hallas Hall as well. Fields has a lot to learn in his passing game, and if he wants to become the ultimate dual-threat quarterback, then there’s no better person to learn from than Vick himself.
