Vick-tory: Jailed Falcons QB Keeps $16 Million

Feb. 5, 2008 — -- MINNEAPOLIS -- Jailed quarterback Michael Vick can keep all but $3.75 million of the nearly $20 million in bonus money he received from the Atlanta Falcons following a ruling Monday by a federal judge.

The Falcons sought to recover the bonuses after Vick pleaded guilty to federal charges in a dogfighting operation. The bonuses were paid from 2004-07.

A special master ruled in October the Falcons were entitled to recover the bonuses. The Falcons argued Vick used proceeds from a contract he signed in 2004 to finance his illicit activities.

The NFL Players Association had asked a federal judge to overturn the special master's decision that Vick should forfeit the bonus money because of his guilty plea.

But U.S. District Judge David Doty of Minneapolis ruled that recovery of most of the bonus money by the Falcons would violate the NFL collective bargaining agreement. The agreement does not allow roster bonus money to be forfeited once it's been earned, the judge wrote.

Doty, who has handled cases involving the collective bargaining agreement for nearly 20 years, compared interpreting the relevant section of the contract to "alchemy" late last year.

The NFL criticized Doty's ruling. The league has suspended Vick indefinitely without pay.

"It makes no sense that an individual who willfully violates his contract is entitled to be paid tens of millions of dollars even though he is in jail and providing no services whatsoever to his employer," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement.

Vick's personal attorney, Lawrence Woodward Jr., said Vick was happy with the ruling but understands there could be appeals.

"He's grateful for some good news, but he realizes he needs to keep doing all the right things to get back to playing football," Woodward said.

At a November hearing, union attorney Jeffrey Kessler contended Vick's "roster bonus" should be treated the same as a "performance bonus," which can't be forfeited under the agreement. The league maintained the roster bonus should be treated like a "signing bonus allocation," which could be forfeited.