Atlanta Falcons Coach Flees NFL for College Job Amid Vick Fiasco

A debacle of a season actually became worse for the Atlanta Falcons as Bobby Petrino quit the team's coach post to take the same position at the University of Arkansas.

Petrino quit the Falcons a mere 13 games into his first NFL season. The audacious move came with the Falcons at 3-10 and a day after suspended quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his role in a dogfighting ring.

``It really wasn't a change of mind,'' Petrino said in a televised news conference from the school's campus in Fayetteville. ``It was being able to work out the details and the ability to get here. I knew that I wanted to come back to coaching college football.''

Photo of Bobby Petrino by Todd Kirkland/Icon SMI

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Petrino, who was signed from Louisville to a five-year, $24.5 million contract Jan. 8, told him that he would be back to coach the Falcons in 2008.

It was the second time Blank had asked Petrino about his commitment to the team over the past few weeks and the second time Petrino told him he would be back next season.