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All signs pointed to Michael Vick leaving the Eagles this offseason, and that became the case when he signed with the New York Jets on Friday night. Vick, who joined the team out of prison in 2009, spent five seasons in Philadelphia. It's the place where he was able to revive not only his career but his personal life as well. Vick may be leaving, but he will always hold the city in high regards. Here's the farewell message Vick wrote, courtesy of Philly.com:
I would like to thank the Eagles and the entire city of Philadelphia. I was honored to be their quarterback and took the privilege to heart every day. I especially want to thank Jeffrey Lurie and Andy Reid, who gave me the opportunity. I want to thank my teammates, who were not just coworkers, but friends. I also want to thank the millions of fans who cheered and supported our team.
People say Philadelphia fans are tough. I say they are fair. A player is not judged solely by his past or promises of the future, but by his actions today, and the next day, and the next.
[...]
The Eagles are an outstanding organization with a bright future, and I'm thankful for all the friendship, love, and support they gave me and my family. I look forward to seeing great things from them both on the field and in the community.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie released the following statement on the veteran quarterback:
"I want to personally wish Michael Vick and his family all the best as he heads into the next phase of his career in New York," said Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie. "I really enjoyed getting to know him over the last five years. He always represented our team with a tremendous amount of class. Michael was a great teammate, a great leader and we’re thankful for everything he provided to our organization and to our community."
A few of Vick's former teammates weighed in on his departure on Twitter:
Much love and respect to my bro @MikeVick! Congrats and blessings to you and the fam!
— Jeremy Maclin (@jmac_18) March 22, 2014
It was an honor to play with a childhood icon and teammate @MikeVick good luck broski. #V7strong
— Brandon Boykin (@BrandonBoykin2) March 21, 2014
Appreciate u man! "@MikeVick: Thank you Philly! http://t.co/kuVJXQzmd1"
— Emmanuel Acho (@thEMANacho) March 22, 2014
7&10 Goes down In the books only Been playing together For 5Years & we put in Work !! Big Time Dynamic… http://t.co/pk3myNArvR
— Desean Jackson (@DeseanJackson10) March 22, 2014