Roger Goodell is rubbing off on the National Football League.

The NFL commissioner's zero-tolerance policy for players getting into trouble off the field has left teams wary of players with baggage.

Clearly, that's why it took so long for a team to sign Michael Vick.

Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles will have public relations issues on their hands for bringing in Vick, given the nature of his conspiracy to promote dogfighting conviction.

Then again, Vick has paid the legal penalty for his crime and has shown remorse for his actions, giving speeches to youth groups and appearing at a Humane Society function.

Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick weeks ago, but there were no takers.

Are teams that afraid of John Q. Public these days?

Fans are fans. Put on a uniform and perform well in front of the home folks and all will be forgiven. Just help us win, baby.

Example: Manny Ramirez.

Example: Barry Bonds.

Example: Randy Moss.

Bad boys don't look so bad in home colors.

While Vick hasn't played football in two years, he's only 29. He was the first pick in the NFL draft in 2001 and a few short years ago was considered the most exciting quarterback in football.

Can a guy with this kind of resume really be blackballed?

Didn't think so.

Ex-coach Tony Dungy, Vick's recently assigned mentor, said he expected a deal to get done with some team in a matter of days. And Dungy is so squeaky clean that his head probably would sprout horns if he ever told a lie.

The NFL is a copycat league and the Wildcat offense is the latest fad. Vick would be the perfect Wildcat quarterback for any team in the league.

It will be interesting to see how the Eagles use him, given that star quarterback Donovan McNabb will take 99 percent of the snaps when he's healthy.

Vick likely will spend this season holding a clipboard in Philadelphia. Maybe that's why the Eagles signed him to a back-loaded two-year contract. They must have something up their sleeve with the guy.

Whatever it is might be one of the more intriguing storylines of the 2009 NFL season.

People laughed off the prospect of the Steelers signing Vick.

The Rooneys would never do such a thing? Nonsense.

Vick wearing a Steelers uniform could have happened.

The Rooneys are good people, but they're not angels. James Harrison and Santonio Holmes have been involved in questionable off-field activities but remain in Steelers uniforms because they help the team win football games.

Dennis Dixon is capable of providing a Wildcat wrinkle to the Steelers attack, if coach Mike Tomlin wants to go that route.

Vick wasn't needed here, so he's not here.

Then again, he's not needed in Philadelphia, either.

Vick's return to the NFL was inevitable. A lot of teams need quarterbacks. The Eagles, however, are not one of them.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.