Michael Vick talks to Norfolk State, Sacramento State about head-coaching jobs: Reports

Former NFL and Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick has interviewed for the Norfolk State head-coaching job, he told The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press on Monday.

Vick lacks major coaching experience but told the paper the school reached out to him and he expects a resolution soon, adding, “I know how to lead and I know what it takes.”

Later Monday, Sacramento State president Luke Wood said that Vick also spoke with his school about the Hornets head-coaching vacancy, according to an ESPN report.

“He has expressed interest in the position and yes I did meet with him about his interest in Sac State football and our athletic rise,” Wood said, per ESPN. “As you can imagine, given the success of our athletic programs that our football head coach job is an attractive role.”

Sacramento State officials told The Sacramento Bee on Monday that reports of Vick closing in on the position are premature.

The program is seeking to fill a head-coaching role left open since Andy Thompson was named assistant head coach at Stanford earlier this month. Thompson, who served as Sacramento State’s head coach for two seasons, led the Hornets to a 3-9 record overall and a 1-7 record in the Big Sky this year.

Meanwhile, Norfolk State is looking for a new head coach after firing Dawson Odums, who went 15-31 in four seasons.

The potential hire of Vick to Norfolk State could continue a trend of former NFL players taking HBCU head coaching jobs. Deion Sanders spent two years at Jackson State before moving to Colorado. Eddie George just finished his fourth season at Tennessee State and took the Tigers to the FCS playoffs this year. Bethune-Cookman briefly hired Ed Reed last year, before opting not to ratify his contract after Reed criticized the school on social media and the sides had a falling out.

Vick grew up in the Hampton Roads area in Virginia and starred at Virginia Tech, taking the Hokies to the 1999 national championship game and finishing third in Heisman voting. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2001 NFL Draft and spent 15 years in the league.

Vick served as a training camp intern with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017, and he was an adviser to the former Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

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