GQ will publish Will Leitch's interview with Michael Vick on Thursday, but in the meantime they have released some teaser quotes. The questions include the usual fodder: "Do you feel bad about what you did?" followed by "no seriously, do you?" More interesting, however, is Vick's admission that Roger Goodell and other representatives from the NFL convinced him to go to the Philadelphia Eagles over the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills. Here's Vick in the teaser from GQ, via Deadspin:
"I think I can say this now, because it's not going to hurt anybody's feelings, and it's the truth... I didn't want to come to Philadelphia. Being the third-team quarterback is nothing to smile about. Cincinnati and Buffalo were better options."
Those two teams wanted him and would've allowed him to start, but after meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell and other reps from the NFL, Vick was convinced-and granted league approval-to sign with Philly. "And I commend and thank them, because they put me in the right situation."
The quote should irk Bills and Bengals fans, considering the player Vick has become, and the precarious quarterback situations both teams have dealt with.
For reactions to Vick's admission keep an eye on the Eagles blog Bleeding Green Nation, Bills blog Buffalo Rumblings and Bengals blog Cincy Jungle.