Norfolk State Football

Deion Sanders went from being the head coach of a historically Black college and university at Jackson State to being the head coach of a power-conference school at Colorado, and Michael Vick is hoping to take a similar path.

Norfolk State hired Vick to become its next head coach in December, but he was looking ahead to the long-term future during a Tuesday appearance on I Am Athlete (55:45 mark).

"I see myself potentially going to a Power Five one day," he said. "That's the goal. Anything I get myself involved in, I'm always going to look into the future and where I can take it or where I can go. Or, where we can go. Because it's a team effort and I have to have a great staff around me."

While there's not really a Power Five any longer with the dissolution of the Pac-12, it isn't difficult to surmise he means a coaching job in either the Big Ten, SEC, ACC or Big 12.

Sanders' Buffaloes were in the Pac-12 during his first season as head coach in 2023 and then moved to the Big 12 for the 2024 campaign as part of a larger conference realignment shift. Colorado went from 4-8 in 2023 to 9-4 in 2024, and he was at least mentioned during discussions of who will become the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

As for Vick, he provides star power and a household name at Norfolk State, which should help with recruiting.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2001 NFL draft was a four-time Pro Bowler and still remains one of the best running quarterbacks in league history. He helped define an entire era for the Atlanta Falcons, and will look to bring his NFL experience to the college game as a coach.

If he can turn around Norfolk State, it could catch the eye of the power-conference schools.

After all, the Spartans were 4-8 in 2024 and haven't enjoyed a winning record since the 2021 campaign. They will be under far more of a spotlight in the immediate future with Vick, and his ability to get the best out of his players will determine the program's ceiling.

Michael Vick says the first person he reached out to after being named head coach at Norfolk State was Deion Sanders.

Vick mentioned Sanders when he was introduced on Monday as the 19th head coach in Norfolk State history.

Michael Vick said the first person he reached out to was Deion Sanders.

People have asked if he would be the "next Deion Sanders", Vick said there's no replicating what/who Deion is.

"Deion is Deion. I'm Michael Vick."

— Michael Sauls (@mcsauls) December 23, 2024

Vick said that when he asked Sanders about beginning his college coaching career, the Colorado head coach told him he "might as well get into it."

"I don't know what you're waiting for," Sanders said, according to Vick and 13 News Now's Connor Rhiel.

Sanders responded by praising Vick on Twitter, saying he has "forever changed" the NFL and college quarterback position and will have "tremendous impact" on college coaching.

Let’s go baby! We’ve got to support, encourage, assist & show consistent Love to Coach Vick! He’s forever changed to QB position in @cfb @NFL & he will have tremendous impact on Coaching & Leading men to their true destinations. Love ya my brother. @MichaelVick pic.twitter.com/xZYN8ROftl

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) December 23, 2024

Sanders previously coached an HBCU football program at Jackson State before taking the helm at Colorado in 2023.

Vick previously told Fox Sports' RJ Young about reaching out to Sanders, who won two SWAC titles with Jackson State before joining the Buffaloes.

"I reached out to Deion just to have a conversation with him," Vick said last week, per Young. "The conversation was more so about philosophy and the most important steps to get started. He reminded me I'd have a bunch of people pulling for me."

This is not the first time these two former NFL stars have connected. Sanders and Vick previously met in Boulder toward the beginning of Sanders' first season with the Buffaloes, according to a video from Well Off Media.

The Buffaloes improved from 1-11 in 2022 to 4-8 in Sanders' first season with Colorado, then took another step with a 9-3 record and a bowl game appearance in 2024.

Sanders took over at Jackson State with an NFL playing career behind him but no previous head coaching experience in either college or the pros. He did, however, bring with him a starting quarterback in his son Shedeur Sanders and a future Heisman Trophy winner in two-way star Travis Hunter.

Vick will look to find success at Norfolk State with a similar résumé, after spending 13 seasons in the NFL and the past seven years as an analyst with FOX Sports, but without the immediate boost of the players coming with him. The Spartans will now hope the draw of being led by the former Virginia Tech star will improve their recruiting heading into 2025.

Norfolk State has its next head football coach in NFL legend Michael Vick, the program confirmed on Friday.

It's official ✍️

AD Dr. Melody Webb has named @MichaelVick the 19th head football coach at Norfolk State University!

Welcome to the Spartan family, Coach Vick 👏

📝 https://t.co/t1TE4KWguQ#GoldStandard🔰 pic.twitter.com/MrZcamfBNl

— Norfolk State Football 🔰 (@NorfolkStateFB) December 20, 2024

Ready to LEAD 🫡#GoldStandard🔰 pic.twitter.com/di4YzuxdwQ

— Norfolk State Football 🔰 (@NorfolkStateFB) December 20, 2024

David Teel and Michael Sauls of The Virginian-Pilot first reported Tuesday that Norfolk State agreed to a contract with Vick to give him the position that was left vacant after the school fired Dawson Odums.

This comes after Sacramento State president Luke Wood told ESPN's Adam Schefter he met with Vick to discuss the former NFL quarterback's interest in becoming the head coach of that program.

Vick has never coached before, but he is familiar with the area as someone from Newport News, Virginia, which should, in theory, help him in recruiting.

Shout out to NSU.....Va Represent!!!!

— Michael Vick (@MichaelVick) March 17, 2012

So should his name recognition, as he was one of the most dynamic playmakers of his era as a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback who largely defined a generation of Atlanta Falcons football. What's more, Teel and Sauls noted Vick has already reached out to possible assistant coaches with some of them "likely" to be names that are "familiar to fans."

Vick is certainly familiar to fans as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2001 NFL draft.

He went to three Pro Bowls in his first six seasons with the Falcons and remains one of the best running quarterbacks in NFL history. He led Atlanta to the playoffs twice during that span, including when he led the team to the NFC Championship Game during the 2004 campaign.

However, Vick didn't play in 2007 and 2008 because he served 18 months in prison and two months in home confinement for financing a dog-fighting ring.

He eventually returned to the NFL in 2009 and played seven more seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. The highlight of the post-Atlanta portion of his career came when he was a Pro Bowler and the Comeback Player of the Year in 2010 when he was with the Eagles.

While Vick has worked in media with Fox Sports since his retirement, attention now turns toward a rebuilding job with Norfolk State.

And it will be a significant one, as Teel and Sauls noted each of the program's last five coaches finished with losing records. That stretch dates back to the 1990s with Odums, Latrell Scott, Pete Adrian, Willie Gillus and Mo Forte all struggling to establish a winning program.

What's more, the Mid-Eastern Athletic is down to six teams after conference realignment, which makes scheduling all the more difficult.

Still, Vick brings star power to the program and will look to start turning things around in his first season in 2025.

Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick told David Teel and Michael Sauls of The Virginian-Pilot that he has interviewed for the head-coaching position at Norfolk State and expects a decision in the matter "soon."

"I know how to lead and I know what it takes," he added, saying that Norfolk State officials reached out to him about the position.

Vick has never coached but told Teel and Sauls he would bring aboard an experienced staff to aid him if he's hired.

He is originally from Newport News, about 35 minutes away from Norfolk State's campus.

Oh absolutely. Michael Vick becoming the head coach of Norfolk State would be a very big deal here in VA. I never knew how bad the 757 needed this until now. https://t.co/yH0CsGGlaY

— ✨🦫America Is Musty🦫✨ (@DragonflyJonez) December 16, 2024

Norfolk State's former head coach, Dawson Odums, was fired on Nov. 26 after going just 15-31 in parts of four seasons. Since 2012, the Spartans have had just one winning season, going 6-5 in 2021.

The team did post a 9-3 record in 2011, 6-5 record in 2010 and 7-4 record in 2009, but the NCAA stripped them of all of those wins after an investigation determined that the school's athletic department allowed 48 ineligible student-athletes to compete in a number of sports over a four-year period, including football.

As for Vick, the 44-year-old spent 13 seasons in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons (2001-06), Philadelphia Eagles (2009-13), New York Jets (2014) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2015), going 61-51-1 as a starting quarterback while reaching the postseason four times.

His career was halted for a two-year period in 2007-08 after he served 18 months in prison and two months in home confinement for financing a dog-fighting ring.

On the field, Vick was a four-time Pro Bowler, throwing for 22,464 yards, 133 touchdowns and 88 interceptions in his career, completing 56.2 percent of his passes. He was most famous for his electrifying scrambling ability, however, rushing for 6,109 yards and 36 touchdowns in his career.

He became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, achieving the milestone in 2006 (1,039 yards). The only other players to achieve that feat are Lamar Jackson (2019, 2020) and Justin Fields (2022).

Norfolk State defensive lineman Nicholas Jerome Ackies was shot and killed Friday night, according to Ryan Murphy and Lee Tolliver of The Virginian-Pilot.

Ackies, a freshman, was 18.

According to Murphy and Tolliver, Norfolk State announced former football player Jaquan Anderson, 22, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

"This is such a tragic situation," Norfolk State athletic director Marty Miller said in a statement, per Murphy and Tolliver. "Our prayers are with Nick's family during this very difficult time."

Anderson is reportedly being held in jail without bond.

Norfolk State defensive back Dy-Shawn Simpkins Jr., who enrolled at Norfolk State in January, was shot and killed in June in East Orange, New Jersey.