Vick Relishes Homecoming Opportunity at Norfolk State
Prior to the 1997 opening of state-of-the-art facility William “Dick” Price Stadium, Norfolk State football fans flocked to Foreman Field on Saturdays to see the premiere program in the area. One confident kid made his way into the venue with his middle school football team, taking in his first breaths of a college football atmosphere. A talented athlete with gridiron dreams of his own, he quickly came to recognize the pride and respect given to the phrase “Behold the Green and Gold” throughout the games he attended. Playing for the “Spartans” Pop Warner team during his youth, the child felt a connection to the program – almost in an ironic sense.
He called himself a Spartan in the earliest stages of his playing career, before the fame and status he’d earn years later. Before hearing his name called first in the 2001 NFL Draft. Before earning four pro bowl selections. Before transforming the quarterback position for decades to come.
Over two decades later, the stars aligned to bring the now legendary figure back home. Norfolk State Director of Athletics Dr. Melody Webb formally introduced Michael Vick as the University’s 19th head football coach on Dec. 23, 2024 – a fullcircle moment for one of the greatest athletes Hampton Roads has ever seen. From the moment Norfolk State announced the hiring of Coach Vick, buzz and anticipation built rapidly around the program. The monumental move drew headlines from all the modern heavyweights: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, NBC News, and more. Coach Vick’s presence and the ensuing attention brought an immediate limelight to one of the top public universities in the south – and the largest Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Virginia.
The era began with a star-studded press conference on NSU’s campus just a few days after making the hire. Media members filled up the medium-sized venue, as well as several household names that carry significant weight both in the Hampton Roads community and on a national level – NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson and NFL Hall of Famer Bruce Smith smiled and photographed the moment with the same enthusiasm as the Norfolk State alumni in attendance. “I’m just happy,” Iverson told reporters after the ceremony. “I’m proud of him. We deserve this. It’s a beautiful day, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
Vick outlined the mindset he brings to the program, and the steps it will take to cultivate the winning environment he envisions. Every member of the team – from the coaching staff to the student-athletes to the student managers – will play a pivotal role in a broader movement to accomplish a championship goal.Grateful for the opportunity to lead the next generation through the sport that shaped his life, Vick paid homage to Norfolk State’s motto: We see the future in you. “You see the future in me, I see the future in myself, and I hope that the young men that we serve see the future in themselves,” he said. “That is the most important part of all of this. We are going to make the most out of this. We’re going to win–; we’re going to have fun and give this 110 percent.”
After a three-week search process, Vick announced the first eight additions to his coaching staff. The prestigious group included four former NFL players and several award-winning leaders. Manning the defense, Terrence Garvin played in the NFL for six seasons, crossing paths with Vick as members of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization during the 2015 season. Previously holding the co-defensive coordinator title at Florida Memorial, he preaches an aggressive, energetic style of football – the Lions forced a SUN-conference best 13 fumbles last season while ranking second in the league with 13 interceptions. Four-year NFL offensive lineman Elton Brown leads the offensive line unit, coming to Norfolk State from the Apprentice School. A consensus All-American at Virginia, his jersey No. 61 was retired by the Cavaliers in 2011.
Vick and his staff wasted no time attacking the transfer portal, attracting talent from across the country to join the culture-building movement at Norfolk State. The Spartans announced 30 signees on National Signing Day – 22 mid-year enrollees and eight high school seniors. A hometown hero, Vick faced little difficulty recruiting the 757 – a hotbed of football talent for decades. The impressive class included four transfers Spring 2025 from Battle of the Bay rival Hampton, as well as former Delaware State defensive back Kahleef Jimmison, a standout from Newport News. While student-athletes rush to join the buzz Michael Vick has brought to the area, he has taken the time to appreciate his familiar surroundings.
The life-changing decision to enter the coaching realm has brought him closer to family, friends and mentors.“I’ve been able to be with my mom every day, being able to see her and my sisters and my cousins – seeing everybody growing up,” Vick said on ESPN’s Sportscenter last month. “I’ve been away for so long, ever since I went away for college I haven’t been here consistently. Now I have a chance to be around my loved ones, so that means more to me than anything.
”After a month of offseason strength training and conditioning, the new faces on the roster – as well as the long list of players from the fall who chose to return – could not wait to get spring practice underway. The time had come to put the pads on and play some football.The team responded positively to Vick and his staff from their first moments on the field. USF transfer signal caller Israel Carter emphasized the significance of every piece of advice he received from the man who molded the most important position on the field.“It’s everything a young quarterback wishes for,” Carter said. “I’m following his path. He led the way for us, so I’m trying to implement my game into that.”While making some of his largest contributions to the sport at the professional level, Vick holds an esteemed status from his college days as well. Accumulating a 22-2 record in two years as Virginia Tech’s starting quarterback, Vick led the Hokies to the national title game in a magical freshman campaign – finishing third in the Heisman vote in the process (the top finish ever by a VT player).
Less than a month after receiving the Norfolk State head coaching job, Vick was selected as a member of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class. Now in a leadership position, Vick can pass his knowledge along to the next generation of quarterbacks. He welcomes the learning curve of his own, however, as he navigates his first season on the sidelines.“Experience is the best teacher,” Vick said. “Just getting out here and doing it, believing in it, standing up in front of the guys each and every day trying to deliver the right message– trying to get them motivated, trying to get them pumped and ready to go. There’s a lot of moving parts, but at the same time it’s nothing like standing in the pocket with 300-pound linemen coming at you. This is a lot easier, so I feel like I can handle it.” Over a dozen carefully crafted practices culminated in the day Norfolk State fans anticipated most – well, aside from the first fall kickoff.
Fans flooded Dick Price Stadium for the team’s annual spring game, eager for their first peek of Vick on the sidelines. The event lived up to the highest of expectations, producing a tremendous crowd that included several Hampton Roads legends. Iverson, NFL veteran Tyrod Taylor, lightweight champion boxer Keyshawn Davis, Virginia state senator Aaron Rouse and congressman Bobby Scott headlined the celebrity lineup of attendees. “It was good to see,” Vick said. “Those guys have been telling me they are going to come out and support, and I expect to see that all season. It’s good to have the local hometown heroes come out. Guys who our players can look at as role models, great citizens of the Hampton Roads and just good people.”
The Spartans take on Towson in a Thursday night home matchup on Aug. 28 to open the 2025 season, and Vick vows to put a team on the field that will make the Norfolk State fanbase proud.“I’ve got to be accountable,” he said. “I’ve got to be responsible. I have to do all the things that I have to do to show [the players] that I’m trying to be the best head coach that I can be and the best leader that I can be.”When the Spartans run out of the tunnel for the first time, Norfolk State students and alumni will not be the only supporters in attendance. The entire Hampton Roads has this team’s back.