NFL legend Michael Vick has been named the head football coach at Norfolk State University.
According to The Virginian-Pilot, Vick agreed to his new role at the HBCU on Tuesday (December 17). An introductory news conference is being planned for next week. Vick replaces Dawson Odums, who was fired last month after going 15-30 in four-season.
Taking to Facebook, Vick confirmed his hire in a brief statement.
“It’s an honor to announce that I’ll be the new head coach of Norfolk State University… looking forward to coming back home,” his statement read.
A native of Newport News, Virginia, and a four-time NFL Pro Bowl quarterback, this will be Vick’s first head coaching position. Reportedly, Vick has already been in contact with potential coaches and support staff. One potential coach, Dwight Vick, a Hampton native and Michael Vick’s cousin, may have a position. On X (formerly Twitter), Dwight said he would be “involved” with Spartans in a congratulatory post.
Elton Brown, a Hampton native and former player at UVA also confirmed that he will be on the Norfolk State staff.
At quarterback, Vick played for Andy Reid and Mike Tomlin who are considered two of the game’s best coaches. Reid hired Vick as a training camp intern with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017.
After his playing days were over, Vick thought he could share his knowledge with the next generation. Speaking with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Vick said
“I think my heart is really into teaching, you know, the game of football,” Vick said during a podcast interview. “I feel like I’ve learned so much from so many great coaches over the years. You know, I don’t want to bottle up a lot of knowledge, and (I) really can’t relay the messages that I want to relay to a high school kid because … you don’t have to dumb it down, but you can’t be as complex. And I get that.”
Leave a Reply