Falcons Michael Vick #7 throws during first half action between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tennessee Titans on August 26, 2006 at The Coliseum in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NFLPhotoLibrary)

It’d be hard to blame Michael Vick if he bore a little resentment—or at least envy—toward the Atlanta Falcons. He was their hero, their messiah, their savior, and then all of a sudden he wasn’t. When Vick was indicted on dogfighting charges, the Falcons ran away, and when he went to prison they drafted Matt Ryan and moved on.

Now the Falcons are in the Super Bowl, where Vick could never take them, and he’s a back-up quarterback trying to hold off retirement. You can see why that situation could engender some negative feelings.

But in a heartfelt essay on The Players’ Tribune, Vick expressed deep love for the Falcons and for the city of Atlanta, saying he still considers it home.

Vick describes being in prison, having lost his reputation, his fortune and his freedom, but still clinging to his identity as quarterback of the Falcons.

But there was one thing that I just had a permanent blind spot for: being the starting quarterback of the Falcons. It was something that I had taken so much pride in … something that I had come to identify myself with so strongly. Who was I? I was Mike Vick, quarterback, Atlanta Falcons. I was those five words. They were a part of me. They were … who I was. And so I think I just sort of developed this one blind spot, purely out of necessity, to keep my emotions in check. I was sorry — sorrier than I could ever express — for what I had done. I was prepared to serve my sentence, and to do so with dignity. I knew the millions of dollars that I had lost, and the value to my reputation that I had lost, and every day was a reminder of the freedom that I had lost. I knew all of that.

But in my mind, even from a prison cell, there was at least one thing I hadn’t lost: I was still the Atlanta Falcons quarterback.

That was my job, on my team, in my city.

He also recalls the day the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan, confirming the obvious that he would not be welcomed back, and describes how devastated he felt by the news.

But the Falcons and Vick have reunited in recent years, with Vick returning to the Georgia Dome for the final regular season game there. It’s clear that his relationship with his former team matters immensely to the quarterback. He’ll be rooting full-throated for them in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

I’m 36 now — and as my career winds down, and as my life begins to move on to its next chapter, I can’t help but feel as though I am finally coming full circle: The Falcons are back in the Super Bowl … and I’ll be there.

Not on the field, like I’d once dreamed of. Not raising that trophy, like I’d once felt was my destiny.

But I’ll be there, rooting for my team as hard as anyone. I’ll be sitting and watching, hoping and praying. I’ll be there, as if I was right there, still there, under center — as if I was an Atlanta Falcon myself.

In my heart, I always will be.

[Players Tribune]

About Alex Putterman

Alex is a writer and editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. You can find him on Twitter @AlexPutterman.