Michael Vick being hired by Norfolk State is much more than another celebrity coaching college football

At first glance, the comparisons are easy to draw.

A former NFL star making the leap into college football coaching with little or no experience at that level has become sort of commonplace over the past few years.

The prime example, of course, is Deion Sanders, parlaying his celebrity as a Hall of Fame cornerback and flamboyant TV personality into recruiting and on-field success at Jackson State and Colorado. Sanders never coached in college in any capacity before taking the reins at Jackson State in 2020, and is now 40-17 overall as a head coach in five seasons with two conference championships and a Heisman Trophy winner to boast. Sanders’ foray into college football has been successful, leading other programs to take risky moves in an attempt to emulate his accomplishments, or at least reap some of the benefits that come from the spotlight being on their programs.

Trent Dilfer has been a disaster at UAB. Eddie George just led Tennessee State to its first conference title in 25 years. The jury is out on how Bill Belichick will do at North Carolina, but if one thing is certain, a media circus is sure to be enamored with the Tar Heels for as long as it lasts.

But the latest former NFL star to turn into a college football coach seems like something more than just another all-time great attempting to flip his celebrity into a gig and paycheck.

Michael Vick is going to be the next head coach at Norfolk State University, according to a report from David Teel – widely considered the dean of sportswriters in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Vick later accepted via statement.

Vick, now 44, coaching the Spartans represents a homecoming, and the latest chapter in a long redemption story. Coach Vick at Norfolk State just makes sense.

Let’s make sure we mention this: Vick, who led Virginia Tech to an appearance in the BCS National Championship game in 1999 before blossoming into an NFL superstar and cultural icon, had his football-playing career paused in 2007 for his involvement in an illegal, cruel and brutal dogfighting ring. Vick spent 21 months in prison and has worked publicly and tirelessly with animal right advocates and charities to rehabilitate his reputation. In addition to his freedom, Vick lost his $100 million contract and a then-record-breaking Nike deal.

Vick’s atonement began in 2009, when he was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles as a backup. The following season, after Donovan McNabb was traded and Kevin Kolb was injured, Vick took the reins of the Eagles, led them to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth, won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, and again became everyone’s favorite player to control on Madden. Vick jerseys became immensely popular again – just in Kelly Green instead of Atlanta Black – especially after he lit up Washington for six touchdowns on Monday Night Football on Nov. 15, 2010.

After a few more years with the Eagles and some time with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, Vick retired in 2015. In addition to his four Pro Bowl nods – three of which came during his glory years with the Atlanta Falcons – he still holds the NFL record for average yards per carry: 7.0.

He also still has the NFL record for most career rushing yards by a quarterback, but Lamar Jackson is closing in fast.

Has Michael Vick ever coached before?

Since hanging up his cleats, Vick has appeared on FOX as a football analyst and dabbled in coaching, interning with the Kansas City Chiefs and assisting the Atlanta Legends of the short-lived Alliance of American Football.

Vick’s latest venture into coaching marks a return to his roots.

He’s a native of Newport News and was a star at Ferguson and Warwick high schools. In his final three seasons of high school football, Vick totaled nearly 6,000 yards of total offense and 61 touchdowns, bringing college football coaches from all over to Virginia’s Tidewater region and cementing himself alongside the likes of Allen Iverson, Lawrence Taylor, Alonzo Mourning and Bruce Smith as some of the best athletes to emerge from that corner of the state.

Vick’s dominance of ballfields in the Commonwealth continued as he chose Virginia Tech and Frank Beamer, and then placed third in Heisman Trophy voting as an electric redshirt freshman for the Hokies while powering them to a Big East title. In two seasons with Vick starting, the Hokies went 22-2.

With the Hokies, Falcons and Eagles, Vick was like nothing football fans had ever seen before. These days, speedy quarterbacks are easy to find. But back then, good ones as talented as Vick – who could run as well as they could throw – were ultra rare. Vick was like Randall Cunningham mashed together with Fran Tarkenton and Barry Sanders. He had a cannon for an arm, the elusiveness of a greased pig with wings, and the speed and sharpness to cut through a defense like a hot knife against a buttered biscuit.

Why is Michael Vick coaching at Norfolk State?

Vick always remained close to his home and had pride in it. While playing for the Eagles, folks living near Route 13 on the Delmarva Peninsula have stories of seeing him at gas stations and restaurants during his frequent drives between Philadelphia and Newport News.

At Norfolk State, just 27.5 miles from where he finished his incredible high school career, Vick would take over a football team in need of a revival. Since making the jump from Division II to Division I FCS in 1997, the Spartans have won just one conference title, in 2011. And that had to be vacated because the Spartans used ineligible players. Since then, Norfolk State has finished a season with a winning record just once since. Recently fired Dawson Odums went 15-31 in four years.

Now, in this changing landscape of college football, Norfolk State has turned to a hometown hero and a big name who knows a thing or two about football that might help it harness some goodwill and garner some NIL contributions to keep the program afloat.

If Vick can turn Norfolk State into a winner quickly, it would represent a tremendous feel-good story for Vick and his legacy, Norfolk State and Hampton Roads, and all of college football.

And if Vick is as successful as Deion was at Jackson State, it will only make Brent Pry’s seat in Blacksburg warmer. If Vick’s Spartans have more W’s than Pry’s Hokies next season, expect their resumes to be compared, and expect folks in Blacksburg to call for a different kind of homecoming.

Vick’s career has been nothing short of a roller coaster. There have been several mighty rises, plenty of twists and turns, and one mammoth fall that ended with a sad crash.

Will Vick be a good college football coach? Will he win games? We’ll see.

But this, his prospective tenure leading the Spartans, presents another opportunity at an ascent for someone who has been to the brink and back.

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This article originally appeared on For The Win: Michael Vick being hired by Norfolk State is much more than another celebrity coaching college football