Michael Vick has been a school soccer phenom, an NFL star, a convicted felon, a cautionary story, a comeback participant of the yr and, not too long ago, he turned a corridor of famer.
Now, he’s Coach Vick.
Norfolk State, a traditionally black FCS college within the Mid-Japanese Athletic Convention in Vick’s house state, employed the previous Virginia Tech quarterback whose NFL profession was interrupted when he served practically two years in jail to be its head coach on Tuesday.
The transfer was not instantly introduced by the varsity, however Vick’s former highschool coach and longtime mentor Tommy Reamon advised 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 believe he’ll be a fantastic coach,” Reamon stated. “He’s so personable, and he’s charismatic. You’ve gotta be charismatic (to teach) in 2024, and that’s why he’s gonna win. I’m excited to look at him as he communicates with the youngsters.”
The Virginian-Pilot first reported the hiring. Vick advised the newspaper: “I understand how to guide and I do know what it takes.”
The hiring echoes comparable strikes by different HBCU’s lately, handing their soccer applications over to high-profile former NFL stars. Most notably, Deion Sanders began his faculty 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 scenario, and him 100 occasions,” Reamon stated. “These two children (Vick and Sanders) are good examples of taking their expertise, with all that charisma, to then turn into a head coach soccer at present.”
“Michael has the voice. Persons are gonna relate to him particularly after we get in these homes.”
Vick will substitute Dawson Odums, who was 15-31 in 4 seasons with Norfolk State.
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Vick, 44, grew up in Newport Information, Va., about 35 miles south 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 one of the vital dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in faculty soccer historical past. Vick performed two thrilling seasons at Virginia Tech, ending third within the Heisman voting as redshirt freshman in 1999. He was chosen to the Faculty Soccer Corridor of Fame in January.
“The folks round listed below are so pumped up about Michael Vick teaching,” Reamon stated.
Vick jumped to the NFL after three years in Blacksburg and have become the No. 1 general choose for the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. His NFL profession took off in 2004, when he led the Falcons to the NFC championship sport. In 2006, he turned the primary quarterback in NFL historical past to hurry for 1,000 yards in season.
On the peak of his stardom and peak of his bodily efficiency, Vick’s downfall was surprising. In 2007, Vick pleaded responsible to being concerned in a canine combating 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 greenback 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.”
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(Picture: Ethan Miller / Getty Pictures)
