*Ben Roethlisberger’s back luck is Michael Vick’s good fortune as all eyes are on 35-year-old veteran to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to victory while its star quarterback is off the field following an injury to his left knee.
The Washington Post notes Vick’s revered history in the pros as an all-star QB with stating that he only started in nine games since the start of 2013. With the New York Jets, Vick appeared in 10 games last year, of which he started three and completed 52.9 percent of his passes while throwing three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Despite his legacy being tainted with being busted and serving time in a dog-fighting scandal, Vick is still held in high regard by the Steelers, many of whom have been fans since back in the day and know exactly what he’s capable of when he gets on the field.
“The thing about him is, you don’t get a sense of nervousness about him,” Steelers tackle Ramon Foster told the Post. “He’s very calm. We’re banking on him. He’s acting like a pro, and with a full week [of practice as the starter] under his belt, he can handle the situation. It’s our job to make him comfortable.”
Vick is doing his best to make the Steelers just as comfortable with him while working hard to learn a new system and remaining low-key, something his teammates appreciated.
“He’s been cool about it,” Foster said. “He’s not pressing to be anybody big-time. If you met the guy and talked to him, he’s a very humble guy. He’s signed two $100 million contracts. He doesn’t carry himself like that.
“He’s coming into a team that has a chance to be really special. He’s not trying to be a rah-rah guy, pushing to win the locker room over or anything like that. He’s been under the radar. He’s been a good teammate.”
The Steelers’ attention comes after the team took a major hit Sunday (Sept. 27) with Roethlisberger going down during the third quarter of the team’s game against the St. Louis Rams. Although the Steelers came out with a 12-6 victory, the damage was done “when Rams safety Mark Barron dove into Roethlisberger’s leg on a play that, while not penalized, may or may not have been clean,” the Post mentioned, adding that Roethlisberger ended up leaving the field on the back of a cart.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Roethlisberger will miss a minimum of four weeks.
Vick’s stint with the Steelers kicked off when the team signed him during training camp this summer. Despite initial rejections from Steeler’s owners the Rooney family, head coach Mike Tomlin brought Vick to the team based on a need to have a suitable back up for Roethlisberger, who is known for being susceptible to hits and injuries with his playing style.
Since Roethlisberger’s absence, Vick completed 5 of 6 passes for 38 yards and took two sacks. With Vick leading the Steelers, the next four weeks will include playing the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night as well as the Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.
From the looks of it, the set up could define the season for the Steelers. Whether Vick can keep the team on a victory path remains to be seen as it looks to be what the Post termed “the last act of a singular career.”
For more on Vick and the Steelers at the Washington Post, click here.
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