In his second season back in the NFL after going to prison on dogfighting charges, Michael Vick has won the Sporting News’ Comeback Player of the Year Award. Despite not being the Philadelphia Eagles starter at the beginning of the season Vick received over 70% of the vote.

Following Donavan McNabb’s trade to the Washington Redskins, Kevin Kolb was set to take over at QB for the Eagles, but was injured in the first game against the Green Bay Packers. Vick took over when the team was down 20-3 and nearly led the team back, creating instant QB controversy. After being named the starter, Vick went down with an injury in Week 4 and didn’t play again until the eighth week of the season.

In Atlanta, Vick was known as a run-first QB, but he put together his best season throwing the football this past year. His first interception didn’t come until Week 9 and he finished with a QB rating over 100 for the first time in his career.

Vick tweeted about winning the award:

“I’m thankful for all the people in my life who made this possible. They know who they are!”

Vick set career highs in passing yards, passing touchdowns and rushing touchdowns on the year while still proving to be a dynamic force when given room to run. On the season Vick accounted for 30 touchdowns (21 passing, nine rushing) and turned the ball over only seven times.

Vick put himself into the MVP race in Week 10 when he led the Eagles to a 59-28 dismantling of the Washington Redskins. In that contest he accounted for six touchdowns and over 400 yards of offense. His signature moment, however, came in Week 15 when he worked the second miracle of his football career (the first being the Miracle in Morgantown when he was a member of the Virginia Tech Hokies). Down 31-10 with less than eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, Vick hit Brent Celek for a 65 yard touchdown strike. Two minutes later, he scored on a four yard run cutting the Giants lead to one possession. When the Eagles got the ball again, Vick drove them down the field and hit Jeremy Maclin for a 13 yard score, tying the game up at 31. DeSean Jackson secured the win when he returned a punt for a TD as time expired.

The 2010 season marked a remarkable turnaround for Vick both on and off the field. He seems to have completely remade his life and rededicated himself to the game of football. As before, he can wow anyone with his ridiculous athleticism, but the 2010 season was fantastic for Vick both on the ground and through the air.

Used with permission of the author.

Along with contributing to Sports Climax, Brett Kettyle is the Atlanta Braves Community Leader on Bleacher Report and writes a Braves column for MTR Media. Follow Brett on Twitter.

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