Once upon a time, former NFL quarterback Michael Vick was one of the most dynamic, entertaining players in the game. But a highly publicized dogfighting scandal derailed his career: After pleading guilty, he served 18 months in federal prison. After his sentence, Vick returned to the NFL, spending time with the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers before eventually retiring.
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Vick has largely been quiet since his retirement, but that’s about to change as he was recently announced as the new head coach at Norfolk State University. Considering how passionate some people are about animal rights, there will always be those who can’t forgive Vick for his crimes or want him to get a second chance. However, it seems that same level of accountability doesn’t apply to Luigi Mangione, the person accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
As TikTok user @therldrewduncan noted, “You can’t defend Luigi and talk bad about Mike Vick.”
This may sound like a common sense statement, but in the chaotic world we currently live in, it actually needs to be said out loud. Yes, there are people who will never pass up a chance to treat Vick like the worst villain ever, while also cheering on an accused murderer.
Some of the comments on TikTok reacted to this craziness, expressing frustration with all this internet praise for Mangione.
One user explained that the former Falcons QB took responsibility for his actions, so it’s time critics let him move on, writing, “Mike took responsibility for his actions. Didn’t snitch on his fellow players who were involved. Went to prison. Changed his life and became a new man post release. But somehow he’s still a problem?”
Another person showed their admiration for his post-scandal life, writing, “Hated what he did. Respect what he has become.”
Someone else acknowledged that this is how the world works, posting, “This is what the dominant society does. The rules apply to everybody else but them.”
Another user didn’t mince words as they pointed to the country’s endless race problem, posting, “Sir that’s white America where pets matter more than black people and white shooters are glorified.”
There’s a chance we may see more internet discourse like this as Mangione’s case works its way through the system. For now, we hope Vick is able to truly get a fresh start at Norfolk State and use his experiences—both good and bad—to help his players be better than he was.
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