Gamertell

EA game designer Donny Moore answered one of the big questions among Madden faithful on his Twitter: Former NFL star Michael Vick is not included in the game’s first roster update. Vick is still trying to find a new NFL team after his release from prison on charges connected to a dogfighting ring.

“It’s official,” Moore tweeted. “Michael Vick not in Madden NFL 10 Roster Update #1… once he signs with a team, we will get him in there ASAP.”

There has been much speculation about how EA Sports would handle the Vick situation. Vick isn’t with a team yet but most league experts don’t think the entire year will go by without someone taking on a chance on the guy that used to be referred to as the “Michael Jordan of the NFL.”

Downloadable roster updates are traditionally used to handle athletes whose playing status is still up in the air at the time of Madden’s mid-August 2009 release. For example, wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who is in legal trouble for violating handgun laws, is in the game as a free agent.

Chris Littmann of The Sporting News speculates as to the reasons on the First Cuts blog. As Littman opines, it’s anybody’s guess as to what kind of player rating Vick would receive since he hasn’t played in two years. As a bit of history, Vick is also famous as one of the victims of the infamous “Madden Curse” some believe befalls cover athletes. Vick graced the cover of Madden 2004 and suffered a season-ending leg injury.

When he was “in the game,” to use EA’s vernacular, Vick and the Falcons were a favorite of tournament players due to the quarterback’s game breaking speed. To accurately represent Vick in 2009, EA’s designers are waiting for the same answer NFL general managers are: Has Michael Vick lost a step?

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