Apology follows guilty plea for Vick

RICHMOND, Va. — One hundred and twenty-one days after looking NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in the eye and swearing that he had nothing to do with dogfighting, a contrite Michael Vick faced the rest of the world Monday with this confession:

I lied.

Four months after saying he didn't know anything about evidence of dogfighting discovered on his Virginia property, a visibly shaken Vick pleaded guilty to dogfighting conspiracy charges in a federal district courthouse Monday morning. The quarterback then took his first step toward redemption when he stood before a podium at the Omni Hotel, stared into a sea of cameras and reporters and said he accepted full responsibility for his actions.

"First, I want to apologize for all the things that I've done and that I have allowed to happen," said Vick, who apologized to Goodell and Falcons owner Arthur Blank for lying to them about his involvement in dogfighting. "I was not honest and forthright in our discussions, and, you know, I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself to say the least."

U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson set a sentencing date of Dec. 10.

Vick, who is out on bond and is suspended indefinitely by the NFL, can help his cause by cooperating fully with federal prosecutors and the probation office in providing information pertaining to other dogfighters or anything else they may seek. If Vick cooperates, accepts responsibility and is remorseful, Hudson will take that into account when he determines the quarterback's fate.

Vick faces up to five years for conspiring to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and sponsoring a dog in an animal fighting venture.

He had a prepared statement, but spoke without looking at his sheet, making eye contact with reporters while sounding contrite for his involvement in bankrolling a dogfighting operation, providing funds for gambling and executing dogs.

"I take full responsibility for my actions," Vick said. "Not for one second would I sit right here and point the finger and try to blame anybody else for my actions. I feel like we all make mistakes. It's just I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions. Dogfighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it."

Vick did not field any questions.

Inside a packed courthouse, Hudson made it clear, even raising his voice at times to stress his point, that he was not bound by the 12- to 18-month sentencing time that prosecutors can recommend according to federal guidelines for Vick entering his guilty plea. Vick agreed when Hudson stressed that, by entering a guilty plea, he was admitting that he would not have won had the case gone to trial.

"You'll have to live with whatever decision I make," said Hudson, who has a reputation for being strict but fair. "You are taking your chances here."

Hudson also will decide the fate of the 53 pit bulls seized from Vick's property in late April. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will lead a team that will assess the dogs and recommend whether they should be saved or euthanized.

An hour after Vick spoke, Blank said in Atlanta that the Falcons will not release the quarterback yet for salary-cap reasons. The team hopes to recoup $22 million in signing bonus money.

"Cutting him today may feel better emotionally for us and many of our fans," Blank said of Vick. "But it's not in the long-term best interests of our franchise."

In late April, Vick told the Daily News and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he was unaware of what took place on his Virginia property and blamed relatives for any wrongdoing. Monday, he pointed the finger at himself.

"I'm upset with myself, and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God," he said. "And I think that's the right thing to do as of right now.

"Once again, I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to."

The Washington Post and The Associated Press contributed to this report.