ESPN to air Michael Vick “30 for 30” special later this month

Michael Vick is the greatest quarterback in Virginia Tech history. Arguably, Vick is the greatest player in school history, too, although Bruce Smith could also make that claim. Vick took the Hokies to the 1999 national championship game, in which they led when the fourth quarter began. Just over a year later, Vick would become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft.

Now, ESPN is taking a look back at Vick’s storied career, including his amazing rise, dramatic fall and controversial comeback. The much-acclaimed “30 for 30” series will feature a two-part documentary on Vick that begins on Thursday, January 30 at 9 pm ET and continues the following Thursday, February 6 at 9 pm ET.

The film will be directed by Stanley Nelson, an award-winning filmmaker, who had this to say about Vick and this project.

As a historical documentary filmmaker, I was interested in placing Michael Vick’s life within larger historical narratives – narratives about race and sports, poverty and power, and about the criminal justice system. In the film, we get to see how Vick’s childhood affects the choices he makes, as well as how these larger social forces shape his trajectory. I hope that viewers of the film can gain a fuller understanding of the social context that gave rise to Vick’s story, as well as its reverberating impact.

This will be must-see TV for all Hokie fans. Vick’s actions were heinous, however, he served his time and has been a positive contributor to society since his release from prison in 2009. Vick is now an animal-rights activist.

That hasn’t stopped many from protesting against Vick. Last year, Vick was named a Pro Bowl captain, yet there were over 600,000 through a Change.org petition to have that privilege removed. It wasn’t.

Vick had an outstanding career and his comeback was even more remarkable considering how far he had fallen. He remains a huge supporter of the Virginia Tech program, especially his former coach, Frank Beamer, who always stood by him during the most difficult of times.