ROANOKE, Va. – The next entries in ESPN’s popular 30 for 30 series will focus on former Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick.
Director Stanley Nelson’s two-part documentary, “Vick,” will look at the rise, fall and return of Vick.
Recommended Videos
Part 1 will premiere on ESPN on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 9 p.m. and part 2 one week later on Thursday, February 6, at 9 p.m.
In 2000, Vick led Virginia Tech to a national championship birth and was later the first African-American quarterback selected with the top pick in the NFL Draft.
Then, in 2007, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring.
In 2009, Vick returned to the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and also played for the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.
“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,” said Nelson. “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.”
Recently, Vick has been in the news as he will be an honorary Pro Bowl captain later this month.
That decision has caused controversy with hundreds of thousands demanding he be removed from the role.
Though, despite hundreds of thousands of signatures, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in December that it’s unlikely that the NFL would remove Vick as a captain for the upcoming Pro Bowl.