Sometimes you leave the house without thinking about where you’re going—and what you’re wearing.
But when the name on your jersey is synonymous with one of the most notorious animal cruelty cases in recent memory, showing up to a dog festival becomes more than just an awkward fashion choice.
One man learned this lesson when he found himself at a dog-centered event wearing a Michael Vick jersey, a name that still carries significant weight in the animal-loving community nearly two decades after the quarterback’s criminal conviction.
Man’s Wardrobe Choice At Dog Festival Goes Viral
TikToker Daivon Gadson (@methinksvondrinks) documented an awkward fashion faux pas. His video has more than 144,000 views.
The footage shows Gadson walking on a sidewalk past a dog festival with several tents displaying an assortment of dog products and dog lovers in California.
“Accidentally went to a dog festival wearing a Michael Vick jersey,” the text overlay reads.
In his caption, Gadson joked about the reaction.
“Luckily I dodged all the tomatoes the crowd threw at me,” he said.
It’s worth noting that Gadson appears to be a dog lover himself. He recently posted 12 photos documenting the last 12 months with his dog Scooby, whom he clearly adores and takes great care of.
Who Is Michael Vick And Why Would This Be Controversial?
Michael Vick was once one of the NFL’s most exciting quarterbacks and highest-paid players. However, his career and reputation were severely damaged in 2007. He pleaded guilty to federal charges related to operating an illegal dogfighting operation.
According to the New York Times, Vick formally accepted a plea agreement at the United States District Court. He pleaded guilty to a felony charge stemming from a dogfighting ring run from a property he owned in Virginia. Vick admitted to funding the dogfighting operation and gambling associated with it.
The case came to light during a federal investigation linked to a drug case involving Vick’s cousin. That case led authorities to discover dogfighting facilities on his property known as Bad Newz Kennels, according to EBSCO. The investigation revealed severe animal abuse and mistreatment of dogs.
The New York Times reported that Vick said in his statement of facts that he agreed to the killing of dogs that did not perform well in testing sessions.
“I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself, to say the least,” Vick said at a press conference following the hearing. “Dog fighting is a terrible thing. I reject it.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely without pay, calling his actions “cruel and reprehensible” in a letter to the quarterback, according to The New York Times.
Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison and three years probation, according to EBSCO.
The scandal had far-reaching consequences. EBSCO reports that Vick lost most of his product endorsement contracts with companies including Nike, Upper Deck, Donruss, Rawlings, and Reebok. The Atlanta Falcons recouped $19.9 million in bonus money. And Vick was forced to liquidate real estate assets to pay his bills. The case also prompted legislative changes, including the passage of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, which made organizing dog fights a felony offense.
Vick was reinstated to the NFL in 2009. In a letter released by his agent at the time, Vick wrote, “As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to reevaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward,” The Athletic reported.
He returned to play five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, followed by stints with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers before retiring.
More recently, in December 2024, Vick accepted an offer to become a football coach at Norfolk State University in Virginia, The Athletic reports. The hiring reignited discussions about his past. Various news outlets revisited his prison sentence and the details of the dogfighting operation.
Commenters React
“Now why even have the jersey,” a top comment read.
“He did his time you good. They forgive for so many other things,” a person said.
“Lmfao. The way I would found the nearest free shirt,” another wrote.
@methinksvondrinks Luckily I dodged all the tomatoes the crowd threw at me #dogs #oceanbeach #michaelvick #mybad
UPDATE: Gadson told BroBible he was on his “way to watch some football and enjoy some beer and whiskey” when he walked through the festival.
“Suddenly my friend and I are looking around and seeing more dogs than usual and then we noticed it was a dog festival that we were passing through,” he said.
He called it a “funny unplanned and ironic situation.”
He also shared some more details about his pup.
“I have had my dog Scooby for going on 8 years now. I adopted him back in 2018 when I was living in Tucson, AZ. He’s a pitbull/wiener dog mix and he’s my dawg I love him and it makes a bit funnier that I am a dog person wearing a Michael Vick jersey,” he said.
He also shared his reasons for his support of Vick. “I am 31 and Michael Vick got me into football back in the day (2003-2004) and he was an absolute cheat code on Madden 24, so I became a Falcons fan and still love them today. Go Falcons and we LOVE SCOOBY,” he said.