NFL teams
Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Vick says Goodell 'doing a great job'

NFL, New York Jets

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick, who was on the receiving end of Roger Goodell's justice seven years ago, defended the embattled NFL commissioner, saying Thursday that Goodell doesn't deserve to lose his job.

"You have to give the man a chance, you have to him a chance, you have to give everybody a chance to get it right," said Vick, who believes Goodell is "doing a great job."

Goodell is under fire amid the intense fallout from the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson situations along with domestic violence allegations involving other NFL players.

Vick, who was suspended indefinitely by Goodell in 2007 after pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges, called for patience, saying the commissioner should be given an opportunity to resolve the issues.

"I think some situations are more complicated than others," Vick said. "You're not going to get it right all the time or the first time. These situations that are arising are situations that we've never dealt with before in the NFL -- from a PR standpoint, just from a situation standpoint.

"It's kind of new to everybody. That's why we're talking about it right now. It has to be dealt with. Nobody is perfect. Nobody is going to make the correct decisions right there and then on the spot when faced with all forms of adversity."

There was a time when it looked like Vick was finished in the league. But, after missing the 2007 and 2008 seasons while serving a prison sentence, he was reinstated by Goodell and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Vick didn't offer his thoughts on domestic violence or child abuse. He wasn't asked specifically to comment on those issues. But he said he's confident "it'll all be cleaned up" in the NFL, suggesting that some good has emerged from earlier missteps.

"You see the other teams that are dealing with it now are making the right decisions, based on what has happened in weeks prior," he said. "You have to give people a chance. You have to give people a chance, man. You're not always going to get it right the first time."

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