Animal lovers are already protesting Fox Sports' decision to hire dogfighting ring mastermind Michael Vick as an NFL TV analyst.
The hiring of Vick, who served 21 months in federal prison for his involvement with the "Bad Newz Kennels" interstate ring, was announced Sunday by John Entz, the network's president of production and executive producer.
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A group called Rally for Animals has posted a petition on Change.Org threatening a boycott of Fox and its sponsors unless the network dumps Vick. The petition is addressed to Fox Sports president Eric Shanks. It had received more than 25,000 signatures by 7:45 p.m. ET Sunday.
Vick will work alongside host Charissa Thompson and analysts Tony Gonzalez, Dave Wannstedt and Colin Cowherd on the "Fox NFL Kickoff" pregame show (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET).
Fox : Remove Michael Vick as a Fox Sports Analyst https://t.co/5FowQhzhiN via @Change
— Sandi Allison (@sandiartbuyer) August 27, 2017
The former Falcons star quarterback has worked hard to rehabilitate his image, lobbying against illegal animal fighting and working with children via the Boys & Girls Club of Hampton Roads in Newport News, Va., but as Rally for Animals' campaign shows, some animal lovers will never forgive him.
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A summary of facts from the federal government's case against Vick lays out horrifying details about his dogfighting ring, which was based in Virginia. According to the document, Vick and his criminal associates purchased and trained pit bulls to participate in bloody, winner-take-all matches in various states. At one point they owned more than 50 dogs, who bore scars and injuries from the bouts.
There were treadmills and "slat mills" to condition dogs for fights. Animals who wouldn't fight were quickly put down. Vick admitted he and his partners hanged or drowned six to eight dogs who did not perform well in "testing" sessions.
In July, Vick was widely criticized when he suggested on Fox Sports 1's "Speak for Yourself" that free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick ditch his Afro style and get a haircut. On Sunday, fans on social media suggested Vick "sold his soul" for a TV job at Fox by throwing Kaepernick under the bus.
