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Vick's advice to Burress: 'Emulate what I've done'

Michael Vick spent yesterday giving advice. To Plaxico Burress: Put family ahead of football. To fellow players: Put safety first.

Michael Vick spent yesterday giving advice.

To Plaxico Burress: Put family ahead of football.

To fellow players: Put safety first.

Yesterday, Vick, the Eagles' Pro Bowl quarterback, spoke about his new endorsement deal with Unequal Technologies, which provided the pads he wore most of last season. The company has released a new product designed to help prevent concussions and other head injuries.

"I haven't had problems with concussions in the past, knock on wood, so hopefully that won't happen in the future," Vick said, "but I will wear the padding in the helmet to prevent concussions and hopefully a lot of players in the league will do the same thing."

That Vick even has endorsement deals is a testament to the hard work he has put in since May of 2009 when was released from federal prison after spending 18 months there for his role in a dogfighting ring.

The Eagles are rumored to be interested in Burress, the former Giants receiver, who was recently released after spending nearly 2 years in prison on a gun charge.

Vick said he hasn't talked with Burress, but shared his thoughts on what he would say to him.

"Just take your time coming back and getting acclimated. Think family first and football second and it'll all work out," Vick said. "It's great that he'll get a second chance. We'll pray for him, we're going to support him 100 percent and we're in his corner and we just want him to excel."

Burress doesn't have to overcome the animosity Vick did, but he still faces some challenges.

"Hopefully he'll use my situation as an example and go out and try and emulate what I've done in his own way," Vick said. "That's what it's about. It's about growth and it's about learning. Things in life happen in stages and those are some things you have to go through as an individual."