According to LATimes:
Michael Vick is really back on top now.
Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles agreed on a six-year contract Monday that again makes the Pro Bowl quarterback one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.
A person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press the deal is worth $100 million, including about $40 million guaranteed. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms weren’t released.
Vick has come a long way since spending 18 months in federal prison on dogfighting charges. He led the Eagles to the NFC East title last season, was the starting quarterback in the Pro Bowl and was the AP comeback player of the year.
Vick was due to earn slightly more than $16 million this season after the Eagles designated him the franchise player in February. He’ll make a little less, possibly giving the Eagles salary-cap flexibility to give Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson an extension.
The 31-year-old Vick joined the Eagles in 2009, and played sparingly as the third-string QB behind Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb.
He started last year as the backup but forced his way into the starting role with his exceptional performances after Kolb was injured in the season opener.
Vick guided the Eagles to an 8-3 record in 11 games as a starter in his first season playing full time since 2006. He set career highs in yards passing (3,018), touchdowns passing (21), touchdowns rushing (nine), completion percentage (62.6) and passer rating (100.2). Vick also rushed for 676 yards.
Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, once was a megastar with the Atlanta Falcons. He signed a $130-million, 10-year deal in 2005 that made him the top-paid player in the league then. But Vick lost it all when he went to jail and he eventually filed for bankruptcy.
Manning is activated
The Indianapolis Colts activated quarterback Peyton Manning from the physically unable to perform list Monday. A few hours later, the four-time most valuable player pulled on his white No. 18 jersey and a helmet, and jogged onto the practice field, renewing hopes that he might actually play in the season opener at Houston on Sept. 11 four months after neck surgery.
“That’s kind of been my goal all along, trying to get better, and I know everybody’s into predictions and everybody wants to have the breaking news,” an upbeat Manning said. “But I just can’t give you any more than what I’m giving you.”
What everyone wants to know, of course, is whether Manning will be ready. Nobody, including Manning, will say that yet and he said again that he won’t play Thursday in the final exhibition at Cincinnati.
Clearly, though, Manning is getting closer. He acknowledged that he is healthy enough right now to take a snap or play a series to keep his consecutive-games streak intact but insists he won’t.
“Like I said the other night, I have to be able to competitively play,” he said. “I have too much respect for football. I’ve got to be able to compete and to help my team win, and that’s what’s fair to the team, fair to myself.”
Manning has started 227 consecutive games, including the playoffs, the second-longest streak in NFL history for quarterbacks behind Brett Favre.
Jets beat Giants
Mark Sanchez threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes and the Jets capitalized on two big special-teams plays to defeat the Giants, 17-3, in an exhibition delayed two days by Tropical Storm Irene’s devastating visit to the New York metropolitan area.
Bilal Powell had a one-yard TD run in the fourth quarter and the Jets intercepted Eli Manning passes twice. The Giants’ Brandon Jacobs and the Jets’ Muhammad Wilkerson were ejected for fighting.
NFL faces another lawsuit
Another group of former NFL players is suing the league and helmet makers over head injuries suffered during their careers. The 18 players named in the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court include Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lee Roy Selmon, his brother and teammate Dewey Selmon and former Los Angeles Raiders tackle Brian Holloway.
The suit claims the NFL, Riddell Sports Group and its parent company, Easton-Bell Sports, knew the long-term effects of brain injury from trauma suffered by the players and purposefully hid it from them.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league would “strongly contest” the claims. More than 75 current and former NFL players filed a similar suit in Los Angeles in July and another group did so this month in Philadelphia.
Etc.
Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson was sentenced to 20 days in jail after reaching a deal to settle two misdemeanor assault cases in Texas. Benson said he would surrender to authorities on Oct. 17, which is the Monday of Cincinnati’s bye week. The Bengals play the Seahawks in Seattle on Oct. 30. … Center Andre Gurode, who has been to five straight Pro Bowls, was released by the Dallas Cowboys. … The Seahawks traded cornerback Kelly Jennings to Cincinnati for defensive tackle Clinton McDonald. … Atlanta Falcons center Todd McClure underwent minor surgery on his right knee and might miss the Sept. 11 opener at Chicago. … The Arizona Cardinals signed Fred Bennett, who was released last week by the Bengals.