Michael Vick has been in talks with at least two schools about becoming a college head coach.
Sacramento State president Dr. Luke Wood shared on Monday that he has spoken with Vick about the open position at his school. According to the Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk State has also interviewed the former NFL star for its head coach role.
Wood mentioned that Vick showed interest in the position at Sacramento State, which is aiming to move from the FCS level to the FBS, provided the school can get an invitation from either the Pac-12 or Mountain West Conference.
“Vick and I did meet about Sac State football and our athletic rise,” Wood wrote on X. “As you can imagine, given the success of our athletic programs that our football head coach job is an attractive role. Announcements on several major decisions coming soon.”
Andy Thompson, who coached Sacramento State for the past two years, left last week to become an assistant coach at Stanford. The Hornets finished this season with a 3-9 record and tied for last place in the 12-team Big Sky Conference.
Vick, 44, who served 18 months in prison for dogfighting during the peak of his career, confirmed he spoke with Norfolk State president Javaune Adams-Gaston and athletic director Melody Webb about their open head coach position. He told the Virginian-Pilot that he expects a decision to come soon.
Norfolk State fired coach Dawson Odums after the team finished 4-8 this season. Vick, who has no coaching experience, was a dynamic dual-threat quarterback in both college and the NFL.
He played at Virginia Tech, leading the Hokies to the 1999 national title game, where they lost to Florida State. In 2001, he made history by becoming the first Black quarterback drafted first overall by the Atlanta Falcons.
“I know how to lead and I know what it takes,” Vick told the newspaper, adding that Norfolk State, a historically Black university near his hometown of Newport News, Virginia, reached out to him for the job.
Norfolk State did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Vick played 13 seasons in the NFL for Atlanta, Philadelphia, the New York Jets, and Pittsburgh, earning four Pro Bowl selections. He helped change the game for quarterbacks, showing that they could be a threat both as passers and runners.
After serving time in federal prison for his involvement in a dogfighting ring, Vick was released in 2009. He made a comeback in the NFL, winning the AP Comeback Player of the Year award in 2010 with the Eagles. However, his prime years were behind him, and he retired in 2017.
Since his retirement, Vick has been an advocate against animal cruelty and works as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports.
