Last week, ESPN debuted part one of a two-part 30 for 30 documentary on the life and career of former NFL quarterback Mike Vick. This week, the second part of 30 for 30: Vick will premiere, detailing the the epic fall from grace of a man who, at the time, was the most popular and highest paid player in the NFL.
My only complaint about the first part of this documentary was that it may have spent a bit too much time on Vick’s childhood and took too long to get to the story we all knew was coming. If you watched part one and felt like you didn’t get the payoff you were hoping for, part two will deliver everything you wanted.
This second part kicks off right in the middle of where it all went wrong for Vick, diving right into the investigation of his home where a dogfighting ring was found. The first 45 minutes or so is spent on the investigation and ensuing trial that landed Vick in prison and brought his incredibly successful NFL career to a screeching halt.
The thing these documentaries do so well, and this one in particular especially excels at, is including interviews from every side of the story, allowing watchers to get every point of view. Regardless of how you feel about Vick and what he has done, this documentary allows you to see his side, as well as the side of his friends, family, attorney, the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons and just about anyone else who was ever involved.
To me, the most fascinating part of this documentary was the 10-15 minute segment detailing Vick’s time in prison. As a sports fan, I was already very familiar with this story and knew all about Vick’s playing career and his legal trouble. The one thing I had never seen or heard about was his time in prison and it is very interesting to hear about it from Vick himself.
Of course, if you are familiar with Vick and his career, you know the story doesn’t end there. Vick served his time in prison and was eventually welcomed back into the NFL. That’s what makes this story so interesting. It’s not just the rise and fall of a great athlete/celebrity, but it’s also about his second chance and redemption.
The documentary spends most of its last 40 minutes on Vick’s reinstatement into the NFL and his time in Philadelphia. Once again, we get to see every angle. From the Eagles coaches and players looking to help Vick get back on the right path to the fans outside the stadium and training camp protesting his return (something I got to personally see when attending a game in Philadelphia) – this documentary shows it all.
Another thing I found interesting was the ending, which looked at Vick’s career and playing style as an inspiration for quarterbacks who came later. Names like Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson and Lamar Jackson are brought up as players who saw Vick play and decided to emulate his style en route to becoming very successful players themselves. It’s a very positive ending to what was mostly a very dark story and allows a silver lining for Vick to look back on.
Vick is another great 30 for 30 documentary. While the first part may have testes your patience a bit, the second gave you everything you could have wanted and then some.
Vick: Part 2 will premiere on ESPN on Thursday, February 6.