“I just want people to really get to know me as an individual,” Vick told the L.A. Times. “What I want to do is change the perception of me. I am a human being. I’ve made some mistakes in the past, and I wish it had never happened. But it’s not about how you fall, but about how you pick yourself up.”

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) disagrees. The organization thinks Michael Vick should be shunned after his conviction and prison sentence for running a dog-fighting ring.

“People who abuse animals don’t deserve to be rewarded,” a PETA spokesman said. “They shouldn’t be given multimillion-dollar contracts or given the privilege of being a role model.”