NEW YORK — It's longer than a New York minute, but Michael Vick won't be waiting on the sideline for long.
After two seasons away from football -- much of the time spent in prison for running a dogfighting ring -- the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has been cleared to return in Week 3 of the regular season.
"We're looking for a success story here," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who announced his decision Thursday in a question-and-answer session with national football writers. "We would like to see him be successful, and this is a transition to hopefully maximize the opportunity for him to be successful."
Hours earlier, across the Hudson River in New Jersey, Goodell met for about 45 minutes with Vick and Eagles Coach Andy Reid at the team's hotel, apprising them of the plan. The Eagles were in town to play an exhibition finale against the New York Jets at the Meadowlands.
Vick played extensively in that game, showing he's both rested and rusted. He ran for a two-yard touchdown early in the game -- drawing a smattering of boos -- but later had several sloppy plays, among them a deep pass that was intercepted, a sack for a 22-yard loss, and a fumble.
He will be eligible to return Sept. 27 for Philadelphia's home game against Kansas City. Vick, who backs up starter Donovan McNabb, will miss the Eagles' opener on the road at Carolina and their home opener against New Orleans.
Calling the reinstatement a "gut check," Goodell acknowledged he cannot know for sure whether Vick is being truthful about his willingness to change his life. When the commissioner first questioned him about dogfighting allegations, in spring 2007, Vick denied any involvement.
"He clearly lied to me; I accept that," Goodell said. "But I guess we had a very direct conversation about that and he recognizes that he has to earn that opportunity back again. That's not going to be by telling me anything, it's by demonstrating, and he repeated that again this morning."
Goodell said he has spoken at least once a week to Vick and/or former NFL coach Tony Dungy, now serving as the player's mentor. The commissioner said he spoke to Dungy and Reid about Vick's being spotted by a reporter while having a drink in a hotel restaurant after his first practice with the Eagles.
Although Goodell said that was not a violation of Vick's probation or reinstatement, "it highlights the tremendous microscope this young man is under."
