The quarterback is disappointed, but he has faith in Doug Johnson.
By Compiled from Times wires
Published August 20, 2003
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - Michael Vick spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time since breaking his right fibula Saturday, and the Falcons quarterback said some things you might expect, and some others that were surprises.
Wearing a black fiberglass cast from just below his right knee to within a few inches of his toes, Vick set his crutches aside, took a seat in a room at team headquarters packed with media. With 14 television cameras in the room, he propped up his injured leg and gave details on an injury suffered in a preseason game against the Ravens that will keep him out at least six weeks.
"It was very emotional. This season was something I've been looking forward to since we started working in April, and to have it come to an end in preseason ... is very emotional," Vick said. "I've never been in that much pain before. Once I put it on the ground, I knew something was very wrong."
Vick, who said he hasn't watched a replay of his injury, was fuzzy on some details, saying he wasn't sure where in the play the injury occurred, or whether Ravens defensive end Adalius Thomas had anything to do with the injury.
One thing is certain: While Vick said neither the Georgia Dome's new FieldTurf playing surface or his choice of footwear - cleats more typically associated with grass playing surfaces - were to blame, he also said his right foot was anchored to the ground.
"It wasn't the turf. This is football. Things like this are going to happen," he said. "I just couldn't get my foot up from under my body. It wasn't the cleats I had on. It was just a freak injury that happened."
Asked if trainers taped his ankles more, less or about as tightly as most players do for support, he offered a surprising answer.
"I don't tape my ankles. I never wore an ankle brace before. Saturday night was the first time I ever wore my ankle braces," he said. "And what happens? I know things happen for a reason. Maybe it prevented it from being a much worse injury."
Vick said he's depressed. But he strongly suggested that the Falcons offense is in good hands with Doug Johnson. "(Johnson's) played in a lot of great games," Vick said. "He played at the University of Florida. He's here for a reason. He won a game in New York for us, on the road, when we needed it. I promise you we're going to win games."
