It looks like Michael Vick will be the next former NFL player to become a collegiate football coach. The only answer now is where.
According to a report published Dec. 16 by The Virginian-Pilot and Newport News Daily Press, the former NFL quarterback and current FOX Sports analyst recently interviewed with Norfolk State University to become its next football coach. Vick is from the Hampton Roads neighborhood in southeast Virginia, which is close to Norfolk State. That’s not all either: it looks like schools are in a bidding war as Sacramento State University is also trying to secure Vick as their next head coach as well.
These openings are due to both schools being underwhelmed with their previous head coaches. After four seasons with a 15-31 record, former coach Dawson Odums was sacked by Norfolk State last month. Also last month, Sacramento State announced the resignation of their former coach Andy Thompson. In over two seasons with the team, his final record was 11-14.
It should be no surprise that both these schools are going after an NFL legend to lead the football program into the future. Former players have been excelling in this line of coaching since Deion Sanders broke the door down at Jackson State University. In two years at Jackson State, Coach Prime advanced to the Celebration Bowl both seasons. He is now the head coach of the University of Colorado, where he is experiencing his most successful season yet: the Buffaloes finished 9-3 — which is their best record in over a decade — and they also had their second Heisman trophy winner ever, Travis Hunter, under Coach Prime.
Coach Prime isn’t the only former NFL star making waves this year. Former Tennessee Titans and Ohio State star Eddie George was hired by Tennessee State in 2021 with no prior coaching experience and led the program to the FCS playoffs this season. TSU finished with a remarkable 9-4 record and secured a conference title this season as well. Sacramento State or Norfolk State are hoping to see Vick repeat this level of success at their programs.
As a dual-threat quarterback at Virginia Tech, Vick first rose to prominence by leading the Hokies to the national championship game and placing third in the 1999 Heisman Trophy vote. He was the first quarterback in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards in a season after being selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. His arm and legs electrified fans as he led the Falcons to an NFC Championship game.
Vick’s involvement in an illegal dogfighting operation in 2007 resulted in a 23-month sentence in federal prison, temporarily ending his NFL career. Since entering a guilty plea to the felony conviction, he has worked with and on behalf of animal rights organizations for years. Vick returned to the field with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2009 season and was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2010. He last played in an NFL game in 2015 with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
