Michael Vick (Photo via Fox NFL)
Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick is an emotional man this week.
Vick was named the next head coach at Norfolk State earlier this offseason.
Vick, an all-time college football great and no stranger to the spotlight, currently serves as an analyst on FOX’s NFL Kickoff show.
In his first show since taking the job with the Spartans, he teased some of the emotions we can expect to see on the sidelines next fall.
Four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Michael Vick will finish up the season at Fox before his new job begins in 2025, so his colleagues gave him a heartwarming sendoff this week that brought him to tears.
The emotions began to flow when host Charissa Thompson and analysts Charles Woodson and Julian Edelman surprised Vick by wearing Norfolk State hats.
“First off, just, being a big part of Fox Sports… I love you guys, I love everybody in this building. And this administration have been amazing to me,” Vick began. “This wasn’t easy, bittersweet, but when you got a chance to go, get an opportunity to go lead young men in your community, where I grew up, y’know, watching this team, and I wanted them to be assured that they wanted me as the head coach with no (prior coaching) experience. But I got what it takes, I got the right people around me, and I’m ready to embark on a new journey.”
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“When you got a chance to go lead young men in your community, where I grew up watching this team…I got what it takes.”
We want to congratulate our guy @MichaelVick on being named the new head coach of Norfolk State 👏🫶 pic.twitter.com/kAUk6ZtfyA
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 22, 2024
Vick took the head coaching job at Norfolk State without previous head coaching experience.
Many may have questioned the decision to hire Vick as their next head coach, but his celebrity status could very well help change the program’s culture.
On Monday, Michael Vick will be announced as Norfolk State’s head football coach.
Michael Vick Has Nowhere To Go But Up When It Comes To His New Job
Michael Vick confirmed via a social media post that he’s will be Norfolk State’s head football coach.
He has nowhere to go but up since the team finished the season with a 4-8 record and a 2-3 mark in MEAC play.
The previous head coach’s overall record as the leader at Norfolk State was 15-31 while leading the Spartans football team.
The program hasn’t had a season above .500 since the 2021 season.
Norfolk State Football Team Issues Important Message To Fans After Hiring NFL Legend Michael Vick
Michael Vick (via Getty Images)
Michael Vick is one of the most famous people ever played in the NFL. Some reasons for his star power were his play and success in the league, while others were not so good, as he spent time behind bars.
After being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft, not to mention being the first overall pick, he would go on to show out for the Falcons over the next six seasons before being suspended from 2007 to 2008.
Over his 143-game NFL career, Vick started 115 games, throwing for over 22,400 passing yards, adding over 6,100 rushing yards, and scoring a whopping 169 combined passing and rushing touchdowns.
Following his career in the NFL, which would end after a brief stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Vick has been observing coaching rooms, including that of the Chiefs and the AAF’s Atlanta Legion. Recently, Vick was reportedly brought on as the head coach of Norfolk State University.
Michael Vick To Become The Head Coach At Norfolk State University
Obviously, the former NFL head coach brings tons of news to the university that might not otherwise get the attention. Norfolk State addressed the Vick head coaching rumors via X, stating, “We are Norfolk State University. NSU on second reference…and Norfolk State if you are fam.”
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Vick replaces head coach Dawson Odums, who struggled as the team’s head coach. He finished 2024 with a 4-8 record, bringing his career totals with the university to a rough 15-31 through 46 games.
While this may be Vick’s first official head coaching job, which could be announced in the coming weeks, it’s unclear how he may end up doing. As we are all too familiar with, good play doesn’t always translate to good coaching, but that remains to be seen for Michael Vick.
