05/26/2001

A column devoted to pro football in May will strike some as peculiar timing until one considers new-of-the-week options. Such as the pitching exploits of Tim Crabtree, Jerry Jones' plans to peddle authentic Dimitrius Underwood jerseys and that anything can happen during the NBA playoffs but seldom does.

And so ...

Before Michael Vick, there was John Elway. And before Elway, a chap named Roger Staubach. Dan Reeves has coached some decent quarterbacks during his NFL career.

Staubach, a granddad still doddering around town, has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Elway, retired to appearing in a beer commercial, is en route to the Canton shrine.

Reeves is now in charge of developing Virginia Tech rookie Vick, whose lone professional honor is to be named All-Minicamp for the Atlanta Falcons.

Few coaches work with two Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Those who never meet even one are often fired for reasons of health and fatigue. The owner got sick and tired of them.

Reeves has been fortunate to associate with the elite. He helped Staubach learn to say, "Hut, hut" as offensive coordinator for the Cowboys in the early 1970s. Elway broke in when Reeves was head coach at Denver. Vick comes to the Atlanta head coach as the No. 1 pick in the land via a draft day trade with San Diego for the top spot.

Thus Reeves has been around several blocks and an occasional alley during his career. In one respect, he's never seen anyone like Vick. Reeves claims the kid can outrun any QB who ever played in the NFL, including former San Francisco 49ers swiftie Steve Young, plus Troy Aikman with Vick wearing hip boots.

"He has unbelievable speed," Reeves said from Atlanta. "We lined him up against our fastest receiver and Michael smoked him. He's like a greased pig, You can't hem him in. He'll run between your legs or over you.

"There's never been a quarterback run 4.36 on an artificial grass surface. He'll be the fastest guy on the field, which he was lots of time in college."

The question is how quickly Vick learns to pass, then when and how much he should play. Reeves admitted he rushed Elway into the lineup too soon as a first-game, rookie starter.

"No question about that. He wasn't ready for everything that happened to him after the snap. He had no pre-snap read," said Reeves, who benched Elway for several games before returning him to the lineup.

Vick will play this season, Reeves said, because the era of step-by-step grooming has long passed. He can't afford to mothball this rookie for an entire season like Daunte Culpepper at Minnesota. Financial commitment ($60 million contract) and free agency dictate that Vick see action even on a force-feed basis.

"You've never had guys paid so much money so quickly. There's no guarantee they'll be there in five years. So they play a lot sooner because there's such a rollover. So much change," Reeves said.

Vick compared to Elway at this raw stage? Elway was far more advanced in the passing game than Vick, who hails from an option offense. Elway was more game-tested than Vick, who left college early. Yet Vick competed at a higher level – national championship game – than Elway.

The perfect moment for Vick's pro debut?

"When we get an offensive line," Reeves half-joked.

A dated footnote attaches to Reeves as he enters his 21st season as an NFL head coach and continues to climb as an all-time winner. Most forget that he quit the profession in 1973 to sell real estate in Dallas.

"I was trying to sell real estate," he protested. "There's a huge difference. I was given a token closing so at least Santa Claus would come," he recalled.

Reeves returned to the Cowboys staff in '74 where he matured into much more than a token NFL coach.