With Seattle’s 12th Man eliminated (the injustice!) from the voting, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is among the 16 players remaining as possible Madden NFL 12 cover athletes. Based on his performance on the football field last year, he’s among the most deserving of those 16. But his previous, off-field controversy has activists demanding that he be removed from the bracket.
Vick pled guilty in 2007 to having been involved with an illegal dog fighting ring. After serving time in prison, he made his return to the NFL and became the Eagles’ starting QB in 2010. He was among the league’s best at the position this past season and is arguably the team’s best candidate for a Madden cover.
More than three out of four voters (76%, to be precise) chose him over Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware in the first round of voting. This week, he faces off against Houston Texas receiver Andre Johnson. As far as animal-rights activists and supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are concerned, however, he shouldn’t have ever been a candidate, and they’ve let EA Sports know it.
