Two former Philadelphia Eagles will lead historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) next college football season. On December 20th, Michael Vick was hired as the next head coach of Norfolk State University. The hits kept coming.
Seven days later, his good friend and former teammate DeSean Jackson was named Delaware State University's new head coach.
As you might expect, the news didn't fall on deaf ears. The football world certainly took notice.
Neither has prior college coaching experience, but Vick was a coaching intern with Andy Reid's Kansas City Chiefs in 2017. The hiring of former Birds legends continues a recent trend of former NFL players setting up shop at HBCUs to help build successful programs.
Deion Sanders' hiring at Jackson State made waves years ago as did Eddie George's hiring at Tennessee State. Sanders took his program to two Celebration Bowls. George led his team to the first round of the FCS playoffs during this recent season.
Delaware State and Norfolk State hope DeSean and Michael bring the same success that Sanders and George have brought to the HBCU landscape.
What does Vick and Jackson's hiring mean for their two new schools and for them? We're glad you asked. Let's take a look.
Flashy hires bring more media attention to the school that adds them.
DSU and Norfolk State aren't go-to options for most of the national media. It hasn't helped that both programs have often struggled. The Hornets haven't won five games in a season since 2013. They took one victory home last year.
The Spartans won a couple more games than the Delaware State in 2024. They closed the show with four.
The Philadelphia Eagles connection will help both programs. That may wake the national media up as it will be intriguing to cover both schools if they are successful. Don't be shocked if the local Philly media keeps one eye on what's happening in Dover, Delaware, and Norfolk, Virginia.
DSU may also steal some in-state spotlight from its rival, the University of Delaware. The latter will debut in the FBS as a Conference USA member in 2025.
Their home games might be a little more crowded this year with the fanfare those legendary playmakers bring.
Michael Vick and Jackson hope to bring better talent to their respective schools.
When Deion Sanders paced the sidelines at Jackson State, he was able to recruit and get many good players as transfers. That helped him accumulate a 27-6 record in the three seasons he was their head coach.
The Hornets and the Spartans hope that DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick have the same effect on the recruiting trail. The hope is they can attract elite talent and convince them to hang around for three or four years.
DSU has had its issues lately. They have lost good talent to the transfer portal because of the lack of vision the program has had recently.
There have been rumors that Vick and Jackson are in the process of getting their first transfer portal players to their respective schools. That's a good sign for both.
The former Eagles Legends can make these team must-see TV.
DeSean Jackson can make a statement right away as the leading man of the Hornets. They play their in-state rival the Blue Hens to open the season, a team they have never beaten in 11 meetings.
If he can steal the "Route 1 Rivalry" trophy away from UD, that would give him instant credibility and show people he is building something special at DSU.
Both Delaware State and Norfolk State play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), which means the former Birds will face off next season, which is definitely a game to tune in for.
Vick and Jackson being college coaches may not have been on our bingo card for 2025, but we can't wait to see what they do at their respective programs. We wish them luck. They've given Eagles fans so many opportunities to cheer, so we'll certainly be cheering for them.