It started as a casual game of toss, but the internet turned it into a reunion highlight. Michael Vick, smooth in a green polo and cap, zipped short passes to DeSean Jackson outside the Philadelphia Eagles’ complex. After laughing through a few light routes, Jackson eventually traded his T-shirt for a sports coat — not for game day, but for the press conference podium. The clip felt like a throwback to their Philadelphia Eagles glory days, but this wasn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It was a teaser for a history-making moment in HBCU football.
Old Friends, New Sidelines
Vick and Jackson haven’t shared an NFL huddle in over a decade, but now they’re teammates in a different arena: the HBCU head coaching ranks. Vick leads Norfolk State, Jackson helms Delaware State, and on October 30, their squads will meet at Lincoln Financial Field — a massive stage for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
“The Linc gets crazy already,” Jackson said. “Now you’ve got two legends. It’s going to be hype.”
For the programs, it’s exposure. For the coaches, it’s a chance to create new Philly memories from the sidelines.
From Playmakers to Mentors
Neither took the traditional route to coaching. Like Deion Sanders and Eddie George, they skipped the assistant grind, bringing NFL pedigree and presence straight to the head seat.
Michael Vick’s been quietly preparing for years, running youth camps, coaching his daughter’s flag football team, and embracing the idea of developing young talent.
“It was always in me to be with a group of young men, to develop them, see how they transition over a three-month period, a six-month period, a 12-month period,” Vick said.
DeSean Jackson admits coaching wasn’t part of the plan, but after advice from Sanders, he jumped in fully.
“Without Deion’s success, our success would never be presented to us,” Jackson said. “To have all the information and the knowledge we have, it would be selfish for us not to give back.”
Bigger Than a Scoreboard
Norfolk State hasn’t made the FCS playoffs since 1997. Delaware State is coming off a 1-11 season. The Oct. 30 game won’t fix those records overnight — but it could be the spark for recruiting, funding, and a culture shift.
The two call each other brothers. And while they’ll be on opposite sidelines, they’re aiming for the same win: pushing HBCU football to bigger stages.
“There are a lot of things we could be doing,” Vick said. “But we chose to go down this route… it will be a success.”
When Vick and Jackson share a field in Philly, history suggests something unforgettable is coming — whether it’s a deep ball or a deep impact on HBCU football.