Michael Vick has been a standout athlete since high school. He was a three-year starter at Warwick High School in Newport News, Va. under coach Tommy Reamon. Passed for 4,846 yards with 43 touchdowns during his career, adding 1,048 yards and 18 scores on the ground. Accounted for 10 passing and 10 rushing touchdowns as a senior as he passed for 1,668 yards.

Michael was one of the most exciting athletes to ever play college football. Applied for early entry into NFL draft (as a redshirt sophomore) after two seasons as Virginia Tech?s starter and one appearance in National Championship Game.

Led the Hokies into the National spotlight for two seasons and carried the school (on his arm and legs) to compete in the National Championship Game in his first season as a college starting quarterback in 1999. Captured the first-ever Archie Griffin Award as college football Player of the Year as a redshirt freshman that season when he led the nation in passing efficiency at 180.37, the second-highest total ever, and guided the Hokies to a perfect 11-0 regular season record.

Set an NCAA record for a freshman in the process and established single-season school records for highest yards passing per completion (20.4), per attempt (12.1), highest completion % (59.2) and most yards per play (9.3). Appeared in 10 games, completing 90 of 152 passes for 1,840 yards with 12 touchdowns, and rushed 108 times for 585 yards with eight more scores. Averaged 242.5 yards of offense per game.

His incredible performance in the Sugar Bowl vs. Florida State for the National Championship included completing 15 of 29 pass attempts for 225 yards with a 49 yard touchdown pass, as well as gaining 97 yards on 23 carries with a three yard score, to total 322 yards of offense in almost single-handidly engineering an upset before falling, 46-29.

Finished third in the balloting for the coveted Heisman Trophy (matching the highest finish ever by a freshman) while coming away with the hardware for Big East Conference Offensive and Rookie of the Year and finished runner-up in voting for the Associated Press Player of the Year. Became the first player in Division I history to win a league?s Player of the Year Award in the same season he won Rookie of the Year.

As a sophomore in 2000, he completed 87 of 161 passes for 1,234 yards with eight touchdowns while carrying 104 times for 607 yards. Finished his career with a 20-1 record as starter at Virginia Tech.

In his first NFL season, Michael served as an understudy for the quarterback position to longtime Falcon starter Chris Chandler. Michael got into 8 games, but only started 2. In 2002, Chandler departed and Vick took over the reigns to exciting effects.