How to Play Quarterback Like Michael Vick

The only NFL quarterback to get more than 1,000 yards rushing in a season, Michael Vick was considered the most exciting QB to watch in football. His stunning athleticism and tough contacts made for an unpredictable player. Learn to play quarterback like Michael Vick with these steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Run with it. Vick ranks among some of the league's top running backs for his running skills, and has defense constantly on the watch for another one of his blazingly fast runs.
2. Play physical. Vick has always been an outstanding athlete, dazzling coaches as far back as high school with his lightning 40s and enormous vertical leaps. Use your athleticism to be the quickest, most agile man on the field.
3. Rollout away from a one-side pass rush. Vick knows how to spot a one-sided pass rush and when he does he books it at an angle towards the open space in the field, building up solid momentum to blow through the cornerbacks and safety. Punish the defense for leaving any open field.
4. Stick with the short passes in the flats and to your wideouts. Never a finesse passer, Vick functions best on short-haul flights, throwing bullets at his receivers as they run shallow routines. Stay in the pocket, watch for your receivers to throw their coverage off a step, and then hit them hard.
5. Forget about the scramble dump passes. Vick is a poor performer on scrambled plays so if you want to play like him, stick to the short set pieces and if that fails, run it through the defense.
6. Watch for injuries. One of Vick's greatest challenges was avoiding injuries during all of his hard contacts. Remember, even though you can run like a running back, you're still the quarterback and you need to protect yourself. Avoid going helmet to helmet for that last yard, and watch your limbs and joints as you go into big tackles.