Vick: 'I love the Steelers organization'

As the Steelers were packing up last week, quarterback Landry Jones stood in the locker room, posing for pictures with a couple of his teammates. They were teammates who watched Vick play when they literally were kids with dreams of one day playing in the league too.“It made me feel old,” Vick laughed, who just finished his 15th NFL season. “At the same time I understand the respect level that is there, the work that I have done and the hard work I put in at 35. I think they respect the motivation I try to give them each and every day because I see the potential in them. I believe in them, they believe in me. I think at the end of the day I am a big brother to them.” It’s that family atmosphere, that big brother-little brother relationship that is one of the things Vick loved so much about the 2015 season with the Steelers. It’s his fourth NFL team in 15 seasons, and he felt something special with the group that gathered in the locker room daily. “It’s a special group, it’s a special atmosphere,” said Vick. “It’s a special group of coaches. I think Coach (Mike) Tomlin and what he demands from the players, he gives it to us but at the end of the day he understands we are men. He puts responsibility on us and we respond. I think it’s the type of coach he is in terms of how he treats his players. He makes his players want to work hard for him. “From Day 1, from the time I got here, it was a family oriented atmosphere. My first day felt like I had been here for two months because everybody welcomed me in. From the time I started to practice I felt like I was at home. You can’t ask for more. Coach told me about that on the phone before I arrived. We talked and I was thankful to come to a place where I was accepted and it was a great group of guys.” Vick will become an unrestricted free agent on March 9 when the new league year begins, but said he would love to return to the Steelers. “I expressed if there is a way possible I would love to come back,” said Vick. “I love the team, I love the atmosphere. I feel like I could help.” Vick played in five games in 2015, starting three, including a come-from-behind win against San Diego on Oct. 12 that he said was one of the most memorable games of his career. "He got us out of a few stadiums. And San Diego specifically," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "I think about the play he made on that final drive with his legs when he ran down the middle of the field and provided us with a significant chunk of yardage. That guy got us out of the stadium that day, and his contributions are more than that instance, but that’s just one that’s very vivid and very tangible that you can look to that makes me say that.Tomlin was referring to Vick's 24-yard run in the game-winning drive, a drive where he also completed four passes for 44 yards. “To be able to celebrate with the team at the end, I was ecstatic,” said Vick. “I came in and was able to get it done. I couldn’t have done it without the help of the team, without them believing in me. It’s one of those wins I will remember for a lifetime.” He also formed a bond with Roethlisberger, one that he would love to continue as teammates. “He is a great guy to be around,” said Vick. “I really admire his preparation and how he goes about his business. To watch a guy who is a potential Hall of Famer go out and explore his talents every week really helped me as a player.” Whatever happens for him moving forward, Vick knows one thing, playing for the Steelers is special. “I love the Steelers organization,” said Vick. “I love Coach Tomlin. I love the players I am around. I love my teammates. It was an awesome experience this year to compete throughout the playoffs. That’s what I came here for.”