"They should just make the No. 7 a dog tail," said Kevin Moore, an Eagles fan who proudly owns a Donovan McNabb jersey but claims he wouldn't be caught dead in a Vick version.
Yet those who do plan to buy the jersey say those harsh judgments couldn't be further from the truth. For them, the No. 7 emblazoned on Eagles green is a testament to redemption.
For many African American fans, elements of racial solidarity are woven into the polyester and mesh fabric. Seemingly overnight, Vick has become symbolic to black men who understand - maybe more than most - that it's hard to integrate into society and make an honest living after serving time in prison.
Even if the Eagles' decision to give Vick a $1.6 million contract doesn't win a championship this season, the shirt has the potential to become a unifying factor, like wearing a red, black and green ski hat at a Million Man March.
The signing "doesn't necessarily make football sense," said Barry Wilkins of Mount Airy, a Pittsburgh Steelers fan who is black. "But we want to show support behind a man who has done his time and deserves a second chance."
Others who plan to wear No. 7 see it as a way to fully support the Eagles. After all, in sports, isn't winning everything?
Bruce Tral believes Vick will make the team better, and wearing a No. 7 jersey shows he backs the athlete. "He's a good player," Tral said. "The Eagles deserve a shot at winning."
Steamed that Vick gets to wear the beloved No. 7 once worn by Ron Jaworski? Some, like Roland Denardo, will use the occasion to dust off the old jersey and pay homage to the Eagles quarterback of the 1980s.
"I don't care one way or the other about Vick," said Denardo. "He shouldn't have gotten that number."
