Eagles QB Michael Vick Plans To Be Less Cautious, Wants To Play 'Lights-Out Football'

Michael Vick said this morning his recent injury problems came from "trying to protect myself," so he plans to be less cautious as a quarterback. "I think what I have to do is just go out and play lights-out football and not worry about getting hurt," he said on ESPN radio's Mike & Mike in the Morning. The Eagles announced Monday that Vick had agreed to a new deal, allowing him to compete for the starting quarterback job and potentially earn as much as $10 million over the next year. Vick's troubles staying healthy have been cited repeatedly by critics, who contend he needs to learn to avoid hits by sliding more or running out of bounds. However Vick, who also said he hopes to play for another four or five years, gave a little lip service to being careful. "I know it's possible," he said of staying healthy for a full season. "I've done it before. The thing is you have, you know, to be very cautious and meticulous on the field, but not to a point where it takes away from your game, because once you try not to get hurt, that's when you get hurt." Then he told the Mikes - Golic and Greenberg - that being too careful contributed to his missing games. "I think over the last two years, I was trying to protect myself, trying to make sure that I was out on the football field with my teammates, and just putting too much effort into not being injured. When you do that, it just slows you down just a half a second. And I think when you're able to say, 'Today, I'm going to give it everything I got, and leave it all out on the field,' that's when you have the most success." "You have to have a positive approach," he said. "You have to be upbeat. You have to be a believer, and not worry about things you can't control. Go out and take control of yourself." Source: Philly.com