Deion Sanders, head coach of the University of Colorado football team, extended a heartfelt message of support to Michael Vick following Vick’s introduction as Norfolk State University’s head football coach. The former NFL quarterback was formally unveiled during a press conference Monday morning, with Vick stepping into a role that deepens the trend of high-profile football stars joining HBCU football programs.

Sanders, took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate Vick on his new position. “Let’s go baby!” Sanders tweeted. “We’ve got to support, encourage, assist & show consistent Love to Coach Vick! He’s forever changed the QB position & he will have tremendous impact on Coaching & Leading men to their true destinations. Love ya my brother.”

Norfolk State announced Vick’s hiring on Friday after the university’s Board of Visitors unanimously approved his contract. Vick, whose legendary NFL career helped redefine the quarterback position, will now lead the Spartans in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

Vick’s coaching aspirations come after Sanders’ impressive success at Jackson State University, where Sanders revitalized the program into an FCS powerhouse during his tenure from 2020 to 2022. Under Sanders’ leadership, Jackson State captured back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships and made consecutive appearances in the Celebration Bowl. During his tenure, Sanders mentored the likes of James Houston IV and Isaiah Bolden, who both reached the NFL.

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Sanders’ achievements at Jackson State have sparked a wave of interest amongst retired NFL players in coaching at HBCUs, making Vick’s path a natural continuation of this trend.

Vick credited Sanders as a key mentor during his transition to coaching, sharing that he had sought advice from the Hall of Famer before accepting Norfolk State’s offer. “I reached out to Deion just to have a conversation with him,” Vick said in an interview with Fox Sports’s RJ 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.”

The challenge ahead is significant; Vick inherits a program seeking to establish itself as a consistent contender in the MEAC. However, with a wealth of professional football experience and Sanders’ guidance, Vick appears determined to carve out his own impactful legacy.