Flowery Branch, Ga. ? Michael Vick hobbled into the crowded room Tuesday — a crutch under each arm, a black cast on his right leg.

Sitting down required tedious maneuvering. A helping hand was needed to prop up his broken leg.

For now, the NFL’s most dazzling player couldn’t outrun a sumo wrestler.

“Oh man, it’s tough,” Vick said in his first public comments since Saturday night, when the Atlanta quarterback broke his fibula in a preseason game. “I tried to take a shower and it was just something that I couldn’t do. It’s something that I’m going to have to get used to for the next few weeks. I’m going to need help.”

Vick has never experienced this sort of vulnerability. He’s always been the guy everyone else was chasing, an aberration of nature who knew he could run faster and throw farther than anyone else on the field.

Turns out he’s only human.

Scrambling out of the pocket, Vick was grabbed from behind by a Baltimore lineman, the leg buckling under as he went to the turf. X-rays showed a clean break just above the ankle. Doctors say he’ll be out at least six weeks — longer if surgery is required.

Under the most optimistic timetable, Vick will miss the first four games of the regular season, which begins Sept. 7 at Dallas.

While clearly upset about the most serious injury of his athletic career — and still in pain — Vick vowed he would return better than ever once the bone healed.

Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick speaks to reporters during a news conference. Vick, who will be out of action for at least six weeks, talked about his broken leg Tuesday in Flowery Branch, Ga.

“I will be the same Michael Vick that I was last year, that I was last week,” he said. “Nothing’s changed about me. I won’t play timid and I won’t play scared, I promise you that.”

Local and national media packed the small media room at the Falcons suburban training complex for Vick’s half-hour news conference. At least one Atlanta television station aired live coverage.

Vick’s injury was a stunning blow to the Falcons, who have sold out every home game and had high hopes of improving on last year’s playoff season. Now, they’ve got to rely on fourth-year backup Doug Johnson to run the team for the first month.

“It was very emotional,” said Vick, a Pro Bowler in his first year as a starter. “I’ve been looking forward to coming out and playing against Dallas in September and that’s not going to happen.”

Still, Vick insists he’s not concerned about the team getting off to a poor start while he’s on the sideline.

“This football team has a lot of great players,” he said. “Everyone is going to rally around Doug. The defense is going to step up. We’re going to win football games, I promise you that.”

Teammates are telling Vick to keep his head up.

“Of course, he’s going to be a little frustrated,” said safety and close friend Keion Carpenter, who broke two bones in his neck during the playoffs last season. “He’s never had a big injury in his life. This is one of the big tests in his career. I told him, ‘Welcome to the NFL.'”