This week, Michael Vick officially took on the role of head coach for Norfolk State University's football team, a move that makes him the latest NFL star to enter the coaching ranks at an HBCU. Following his hiring, Vick shared that he sought advice from Deion Sanders, one of the most prominent figures in the world of college football, before making his decision.

“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 Spartans announced Vick’s hiring on Friday after Norfolk State University’s Board of Visitors unanimously approved his coaching contract. The former NFL quarterback takes the reins of a program competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and builds on the growing trend of retired football stars bringing their expertise to Division I HBCUs.

Vick now follows the path paved by Sanders, who rebuilt Jackson State into an FCS power as its head coach from 2020 to 2022 After taking over Jackson State during a fragmented Spring 2021 season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanders led the program to dominant Fall performances in 2021 and 2022.

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His Tigers captured back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships and made consecutive appearances in the Celebration Bowl. Under Sanders, Jackson State built the best defense in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2021, holding opponents to just 13.5 points per game. Notably, he developed players like linebacker James Houston IV and defensive back Isaiah Bolden, both of whom reached the NFL.

Sanders departed Jackson State in 2022 to take the head coach position at the University of Colorado, where he engineered a nine-win season and secured a bowl game matchup in his first year. His track record has inspired a wave of former NFL players to view HBCUs as fertile ground for building successful coaching careers—and Vick is determined to make his mark.

Norfolk State enters this new chapter eager to see if Vick’s legendary NFL experience and connections can help elevate the Spartans' football program.