Deion Sanders Shares Strong Message for Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson on Tuesday

Vick’s Norfolk State rallied to beat Virginia State 34–31 in overtime, while Jackson’s Delaware State edged Albany 37–32 on a last-minute 27-yard TD run following hours of weather delays.

Norfolk State appointed Vick head coach in December 2024, with Vick labeling the school as "A prestigious HBCU with a rich athletics history." It’s Vick’s first collegiate head‑coaching job.

Delaware State named Jackson head coach Dec. 27, 2024, after a 15‑year NFL career and a 2024 stint as a high‑school offensive coordinator.

Vick and Jackson were Philadelphia Eagles teammates from 2009 to 2013 and now debut as HBCU head coaches in the same MEAC ecosystem. Sanders, whose NFL career overlapped the Vick era briefly, has been widely cited as the catalyst for this wave of hires.

Prior to taking over the Norfolk State job, Vick reportedly called and spoke with Sanders for advice, with Sanders telling him, "I don't know what you're waiting for."

Sanders also has a history with Jackson, who he publicly backed after receiving the Delaware State job, saying, "He knows the game, knows what it takes to make it to the next level and he knows right from wrong."

In a recent sit down with Sanders in July, Jackson credited him for "opening doors" for the wave of former NFL players moving into college coaching, saying, "Without him, honestly, I probably wouldn't even be in this position... We're trying to follow the footsteps he put down."