Michael Vick appears ready to make the jump to coaching.
The former Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is in talks with both Norfolk State and Sacramento State to take over as head football coach, according to multiple reports on Monday. It would be the first head coaching job for Vick, who worked as an analyst for Fox Sports after retiring from the NFL.
Vick played two seasons at Virginia Tech in college, and he led the Hokies to the national championship game in 1999. The Falcons then selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2001, making him the first black quarterback ever selected with the first choice.
Vick spent his first six seasons in the league with the Falcons, where he picked up three Pro Bowl nods and led the team to the NFC Conference title game during the 2004 campaign. However, Vick missed both the 2006 and 2007 seasons and spent nearly two years in prison for financing a dog fighting operation. He pleaded guilty and was subsequently released from prison in 2009, although his playing career took a major hit. The league and most major brands have all essentially cut ties with him.
Vick returned to the league with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he spent the next five seasons. He spent brief stints with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers before retiring after the 2015 campaign.
Vick, 44, said Monday he was interviewing for the head job at Norfolk State. He said the HBCU contacted him about the position. Norfolk State fired head coach Dawson Odums in November after the Spartans went just 4-8 last season. Vick’s hometown of Newport News is not far from the campus of Norfolk State in Virginia.
Vick, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefteris also in discussions with Sacramento State. The program is preparing to advance to the FBS level and is looking for a new head coach after Andy Thompson resigned earlier this month.
It’s unclear how far along either program is in discussions with Vick for the job, or how serious they are about landing him. However, it’s clear that Vick is at least entertaining the idea of ​​leaving the analyst chair and starting his coaching career.
