Michael Vick made it home to Virginia yesterday but his road back to the NFL remains a long and winding one.

While Vick was released from a Kansas prison to serve the remainder of his 23-month sentence for dogfighting under home confinement, the disgraced quarterback still has a lot to prove to federal authorities, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and animal rights organizations.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants Vick to undergo psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is truly rehabilitated before Goodell considers reinstatement. PETA also warns that unless Vick proves he has changed, the group and its large following will direct protests at him and any team that signs him if he is allowed to play again.

“The guy has been very dishonest about everything from the beginning,” said Dan Shannon, assistant director of campaigns for PETA. “He lied to the Falcons, to (Atlanta owner) Arthur Blank, to commissioner Goodell according to media reports, to the media and to fans as long as he could. Only a fully trained psychologist can put him through a rigorous examination to get to the bottom (of whether) this guy really thinks what he did is wrong.

“We think that has to be the first step in any discussion of reinstating him,”

added Shannon, who said PETA decided against filming a public service ad with Vick after a USDA investigation detailed that he enjoyed torturing dogs.

“Even if he does pass this examination you still have to ask yourself somebody who trained dogs to torture and kill one another for sport doesn’t deserve to be rewarded in any way. PETA is not taking anything off the table when it comes to any team that may sign Vick.”

Ultimately that is what teams fear. The quarterback, who is still under contract to the Falcons, faced extraordinary heat from animal rights protestors.

Vick’s most pressing issue before he even thinks about putting a helmet on again is staying on his best behavior. After slipping past reporters and cameras outside a Kansas prison in the early morning hours yesterday, Vick made the 19-hour drive from Leavenworth to his home in Hampton with his fiancée, Kijafa Frink, and members of a security team arranged by his lawyers. Once the highest paid player in the league with a $130million contract, Vick now has a full-time $10-an-hour construction job. He will be a prisoner in his own home. He will reportedly wear an electric monitor and may have a handful of hours per week for other court-approved activities. But he will not be allowed to eat at restaurants or go to bars and he reportedly is not allowed to own dogs.

If all goes well, Vick will be released from federal custody on July20. Goodell said he wants to meet with Vick and see if the quarterback is truly remorseful. Atlanta has tried trading Vick but has found no takers and will likely release him.

Vick is already attempting to rehabilitate his image. On Sunday, he met with Humane Society president and CEO Wayne Pacelle about becoming involved in anti-dogfighting urban youth programs.

“He did a terrible thing and he knows it was a crime. (He) wants to do better in the future,” Pacelle said. ” Now he says he wants to be part of the solution and not part of the problem and wants to help fight dogfighting.”

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