Vick jerseys back in production

There was no green No. 7 Eagles jersey for Michael Vick to hold up and pose with during his introductory news conference yesterday. But hours later, fans could purchase the Reebok NFL replica "VICK 7" jersey for $79.99 (plus shipping) on the NFL and Eagles Web sites.

It marked the first time in more than two years that the NFL and Reebok officially sold a Vick jersey.

Reebok, the official uniform supplier for the NFL, yanked Vick jerseys from its retail stores and Web site on July 27, 2007, before Vick was charged with conspiracy and running a dogfighting operation.

Dan Sarro, a spokesman for Reebok, said that once Vick was conditionally reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on July 27, his jersey was eligible to be made again when he signed with a team. As anticipated, Sarro said, requests from retail outlets immediately met the number needed to produce a player's jersey.

"They've already seen the demand," Sarro said. "We've already met the minimums. So we will go into production."

Production of the Reebok jerseys had not yet begun late yesterday. Sarro did not immediately have figures on the number of Vick jerseys ordered through the league's Web sites.

Two local Modell's stores will have Vick jerseys in stock today after the sporting goods company received a high demand for the product, said Derrick Morgan, a spokesman for Modell's.

Morgan said the jerseys would be available at the Cottman Avenue and Snyder Avenue stores.

Yesterday, homemade Vick T-shirts with messages like "Forgive Vick, Go Eagles" and "Hide Your Beagles, Vick's An Eagle" began sprouting up on eBay.

Meanwhile, tickets for Vick's potential return to Atlanta were selling briskly yesterday. The Eagles face the Falcons on Dec. 6 at the Georgia Dome.

"We never provide specific numbers on how tickets are going, but for obvious reasons, we've seen a spike in single-game ticket sales for our Dec. 6 game against the Eagles," Reggie Roberts, the team's vice president of football communications, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "That game is very close to being sold out."

Former quarterback Ron Jaworksi, formerly the most distinguished player to wear No. 7 with the Eagles, said he was comfortable with the team's passing on the jersey to Vick, who has worn the number throughout his football career.

"I have absolutely no problem with it," Jaworski said.

Staff writer Jeff McLane contributed to this report.