Michael Vick did not break his legs in a car crash. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is the victim of yet another false Global Associated News report.
According to the fake report, “spokesperson for the Philadelphia highway safety authority (HSA) has confirmed that Michael Vick has broken both of his legs in a traffic altercation ... both of his legs were visibly broken and not life threatening according to sources,” but it’s false.
The Global Associated News is a false news website, which has spread a number of death and injury rumors over the years, including one about Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning breaking his legs. Other ones include death hoaxes about Eddie Murphy, Justin Bieber, Bill Cosby, and others.
At the bottom of the website, it says that “FAKE... THIS STORY IS 100% FAKE! this is an entertainment website, and this is a totally fake article based on zero truth and is a complete work of fiction for entertainment purposes!”
No mainstream media entities covered the incident, except for saying it’s a hoax. Vick looked sharp in his early audition to be the Eagles’ starting quarterback during this season’s first preseason game. “I just felt my time was going to be limited to a possession or two. I just wanted to make the most of it,” he told USA Today over the weekend.
In the Global Associated News hoax, Vick’s BMW was hit by a 76-year-old driver after blowing through a stop sign.
But on Twitter, there were a number of people who posted about Vick’s hoax injury.
“This accident looks awful! PRO FOOTBALL NEWS: Michael Vick Breaks Both Legs In Car Accident,” wrote one Twitter user.
“Michael Vick broke both of his legs in a car accident,” another wrote.
The operator of the Global Associated News, Rich Hoover, told the New York Times why he spreads the false news.
“I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t some twisted sense of satisfaction or accomplishment,” he said, adding that he generates ad revenue from pageviews.
