Two former Philadelphia Eagles greats and elite NFL performers at their respective positions have infused a new celebrity vibe into several HBCU football programs.
Continuing the trend that was magnified by Hall of Fame NFL player Deion Sanders’ successful run at Jackson State, then continued by Eddie George at Tennessee State, Michael Vick was introduced on Monday as Norfolk State football coach, to shouts of “Coach” and “Let’s go Spartans.” It’s a homecoming of sorts for Vick, who grew up in the Newport News, Virginia, area about half an hour from the university’s campus.
Vick was rocking a Norfolk State letterman’s jacket and cap in front of a crowd of supporters that included fellow Hampton Roads, Virginia, sports greats Allen Iverson and Bruce Smith.
Vick was observing his NFL brothers over the past couple of seasons and felt he could make an impact in this changing college athletic landscape.
“I was talking to my high school coach a couple weeks ago, and I told him I wanted to be a football coach one day, a couple years from now,” he said.
Vick got a surprise call from former Virginia Tech football player Aaron Rouse, who is now a Virginia state senator, and Norfolk State athletics director Melody Webb. They wanted to see if Vick was interested in taking over a program that has been struggling for some time.
“It wasn’t the easiest decision to make,” Vick said. “I’ve got family that I considered, I care about and I love. This requires a lot of change in lifestyle. But at the same time, it allows me to serve young men in my community.”
As a college phenomenon Vick led Virginia Tech to the national championship game as a redshirt freshman and was selected No. 1 overall in the 2001 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons, where he revolutionized the quarterback position with his legs and cemented the existence and relevance of dual-threat quarterbacks.
In between his stints with the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles, the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback served a 21-month prison sentence for dog fighting (2001-09), which was well publicized and the only blemish per se on his record as a humanitarian to this day.
Webb praised Vick’s ability to “inspire and overcome challenges” and said they are in keeping with the values the school wants to instill in its student-athletes.
“His journey is one of resilience and redemption and unwavering commitment to growth,” Webb said of Vick, who had the best passing seasons of his career under the tutelage of Andy Reid after his prison release.
Following a 2010 NFL season when Michael Vick led the Eagles to a 10-6 season while throwing for 3,018 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushing for 676 yards and 9 touchdowns, Vick was voted the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Will Michael Vick Make A Good Head Coach at Norfolk State?
Vick has no coaching experience, but Norfolk State has nothing to lose. Vick is one of those legendary and transformative names, similar to Coach Prime, who could work wonders in recruiting for a school that has made only one playoff appearance since moving to FCS in 1997. The last five Spartan head coaches have had losing records, including Dawson Odoms, who was fired in November after going 15-30 in four seasons.
Naturally, school officials and students and faculty hailed Vick’s hiring as game-changing.
He is the legend returning home to help elevate a local football program, and as Webb made note, Vick’s name “resonates around the world.”
Added rector Kim Brown: “Today we turn the corner, and we embrace a new season for our football program.”
Eagles Star DeSean Jackson to Accept Head Coach Job At HBCU Delaware State
Meanwhile, a couple of hours north, another Eagles legend, former speed demon wide receiver DeSean Jackson, reportedly is close to being hired as Delaware State’s next head football coach.
Apparently, the eighth-ranked receiver in Eagles history with 6,897 yards, had an on-campus interview in recent days, and the deal is expected to be finalized soon.
Like Vick, Jackson has never had a coaching position. But in this day of pay-for-play, NIL deals and big brand marketing, having a celebrity coach who is currently relevant and can help raise visibility and make the school an attractive destination for future pros supersedes experience at the head coach position.
Former NFL Stars Following In The HBCU Coaching Footsteps Of Coach Prime
Sanders only had prep school coaching experience prior to putting Jackson State football back on the map by flipping Travis Hunter and riding the arm of his son Shedeur Sanders to unprecedented heights.
Coach Prime Brings The Bag
In Sanders’ first year in Power Five school Colorado the Buffs’ six home college football games at Folsom Field were estimated to have had an economic impact of $113.2 million “on the broader Boulder region,” from additional spending by local businesses to the money visitors and others paid while in the area during the home games.
Direct economic impact was estimated at $72.1 million, according to Visit Boulder.
Both Norfolk State and Delaware State, unheralded HBCU football programs, are hoping these NFL superstars can have a similar effect.
Jackson played for the Eagles from 2008-2013 and again from 2019-2020. Jackson was a lethal return threat who also ranks sixth in receptions in Eagles history with 379. Jackson had 82 receptions for 1,332 yards in 2013 and then spent the next three seasons in Washington surpassing 1,000 yards receiving in two of them.
Jackson played for Tampa Bay, the Los Angeles Rams, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens. His last season was in 2022.
Delaware State Needs Some Talent
Delaware State fired Lee Hull on Dec. 3 after going a dismal 2-12 in two seasons with the Hornets and 0-10 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
Jackson will be going up against Vick, as both schools are in the MEAC conference. Those games are already guaranteed to be covered more heavily by the media and undoubtedly attract some stars to the sidelines and the stands.
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HBCU schools continue to be the breeding grounds and steppingstones for former NFL stars looking to impact young men, share their celebrity, and hone their coaching skills in an environment that is a win-win situation for all parties involved.
