It seems like another former NFL superstar might be about to follow Deion Sanders‘ footsteps into the world of college football.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on December 16 that former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was in discussions with Sacramento State to become its next head coach.
“Sacramento State is in discussions to hire former Pro-Bowl QB Mike Vick as its new head coach, per sources,” Schefter wrote on his official X account. “Sacramento State plans to move up to FBS, is building a new stadium and has over $50 million in NIL. Sacramento State would build an experienced coaching staff around Vick that is inline with the new frontier of college football.”
Schefter added in a follow up post that Vick was also talking with Norfolk (Virginia) State about its head coach opening, which was first reported by The Virginian-Pilot’s David Teel and Michael Sauls.
Norfolk is approximately 30 miles from where Vick was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia.
From The Virginian-Pilot: “Vick said Norfolk State officials reached out to him and that he is intrigued by the potential opportunity of giving back to the Hampton Roads community that has long supported him. Vick lacks formal coaching experience … but said he would hire a seasoned staff that would assist him in transitioning to the position.”
Vick Revived NFL Career in Philadelphia
Vick was one of the most popular professional athletes in the world — not just the NFL – when his career came crashing down in 2007 when he was convicted on charges of running an interstate dogfighting ring and sentenced to 2 years in prison.
Vick’s downfall came just 3 years after he signed a 9-year, $130 million contract extension with the Atlanta Falcons, the team that drafted him No. 1 overall out of Virginia Tech in 2001. The deal made him the highest paid player in NFL history at the time.
After Vick served his time in prison, he was reinstated to play in the NFL following an indefinite suspension and signed a 2-year, $6.8 million contract with the Eagles.
By 2010, Vick had replaced both Donovan McNabb and then Kevin Kolb as starting quarterback for the Eagles and led the team to the NFL playoffs and made his fourth Pro Bowl. The Eagles rewarded him with a 6-year, $100 million contract in August 2011.
Vick played for the Eagles until 2013, then played 2 more seasons with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers primarily as a backup.
Sac State’s Most Famous Football Alum Will Surprise You
While Sacramento State has put its fair share of players into the NFL. Most notably, the Hornets produced current Dallas Cowboys cornerback Daron Bland, who led the NFL with 9 interceptions in 2023 and set the NFL single season record with 5 interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Bland is still not even close to the most famous football alum in school history. That would be former wide receiver and 2-time Academy Award nominated writer and director Ryan Coogler, who had 112 receptions for 1,213 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns from 2004 to 2007.
Over the last 11 years, Coogler has been the creative force behind both critically-acclaimed films like “Fruitvale Station” along with some of the biggest box-office hits in Hollywood history, like the comic-book adaptations “Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” as well as the “Rocky” franchise reboot “Creed” in 2015.
