By The Athletic NFL Employees
6h in the past
Michael Vick has been a school soccer phenom, an NFL star, a convicted felon, a cautionary story, a comeback participant of the yr and, just lately, he grew to become a corridor of famer.
Now, he’s Coach Vick.
Norfolk State, a traditionally black FCS college within the Mid-Jap Athletic Convention in Vick’s house state, is hiring the previous Virginia Tech quarterback whose NFL profession was interrupted when he served almost two years in jail to be its head coach on Tuesday, sources briefed on the state of affairs informed The Athletic.
The transfer was not instantly introduced by the varsity, however Vick’s former highschool coach and longtime mentor Tommy Reamon informed The Athletic he has been advising Vick on a training profession and plans to affix his workers at Norfolk State.
“I’m so excited for him to do that as a result of I feel he’ll be a fantastic coach,” Reamon stated. “He’s so personable, and he’s charismatic. You’ve gotta be charismatic (to educate) in 2024, and that’s why he’s gonna win. I’m excited to observe him as he communicates with the youngsters.”
The Virginian-Pilot first reported the hiring. Vick informed the newspaper: “I understand how to guide and I do know what it takes.”
The hiring echoes related strikes by different HBCUs in recent times, handing their soccer packages over to high-profile former NFL stars. Most notably, Deion Sanders began his school teaching profession at Jackson State earlier than leaping to Colorado after three seasons on the SWAC college. Eddie George, the previous Ohio State Heisman Trophy winner and Tennessee Titans star, is in his fourth season as head coach at Tennessee State.
“I wager he and I’ve talked about Deion’s state of affairs, and him 100 instances,” Reamon stated. “These two children (Vick and Sanders) are excellent examples of taking their expertise, with all that charisma, to then turn into a head coach soccer right now.”
“Michael has the voice. Persons are gonna relate to him particularly once we get in these homes.”
Vick will exchange Dawson Odums, who was 15-31 in 4 seasons with Norfolk State.
GO DEEPER
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Vick, 44, grew up in Newport Information, Va., about 25 miles north of Norfolk, and went to Virginia Tech, the place he led the Hokies to the nationwide title sport in opposition to Florida State after the 1999 season as probably the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in school soccer historical past. Vick performed two thrilling seasons at Virginia Tech, ending third within the Heisman voting as a redshirt freshman in 1999.
“He got here and talked to our crew at South Carolina in August of 2021 and I knew then that he had a ardour for probably teaching,” stated Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer, who has been buddies with Vick since 1998 and whose father, Frank, coached Vick at Virginia Tech. “I’m actually excited for him and I do know he’ll crush it at Norfolk State.”
Vick was chosen to the School Soccer Corridor of Fame in January.
He jumped to the NFL after three years in Blacksburg and have become the No. 1 total choose for the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. Vick’s NFL profession took off in 2004 when he led the Falcons to the NFC championship sport. In 2006, he grew to become the primary quarterback in NFL historical past to hurry for 1,000 yards in a season.
On the top of his stardom and peak of his bodily efficiency, Vick’s downfall was stunning. In 2007, Vick pleaded responsible to being concerned in a canine preventing ring at a property he owned in rural Virginia and was sentenced to just about two years in jail. He additionally needed to pay again components of his multimillion-dollar contract with the Falcons.
Vick was launched from jail in 2009 and pledged to make use of his demise as a lesson for others. His return to the NFL with Philadelphia drew protests, however he went on to play seven extra seasons within the league, turning into a starter for the Eagles from 2010-12.
“That’s the script. I used to be watching all of that, and I’ve seen him develop,” Reamon stated. “He has performed so many issues to get out of the holes that he had dug for himself.”
Required studying
- Why would Eddie George accept the challenge at Tennessee State?
- Docuseries led by Michael Vick pays homage to Black quarterbacks past and present
(Photograph: Ethan Miller / Getty Photos)
