Sep 13, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Norfolk State Spartans head coach Michael Vick looks on before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Michael Vick Opens Up About Relationship With Deion Sanders

Originally posted on Colorado Buffaloes on SI
By Cory Pappas | Last updated Apr 5, 2026 9:59 PM ET

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders and current Norfolk State Spartans coach Michael Vick have a relationship that goes back decades when Vick was playing for the Atlanta Falcons.

Michael Vick’s Talks About Relationship With Deion Sanders

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Michael Vick spoke to On3 about the relationship he has with “Coach Prime.” Deion, like Vick, began his NFL playing career with the Falcons. Both are now head coaches in college football.

“It’s always been a great relationship with Deion, dating back to when I was a player,” Vick said. “And so now it’s just grown as a man, as I’ve grown as a man, find ways to ask different questions and to communicate different….I can bounce ideas off him, and he can throw some things at me.”

Vick also added that everything Deion told him as he was preparing to becoming a coach was true. 2025 was the first year as coach for Vick with Norfolk State. In his first season, Vick’s Spartans struggled, going just 1-11.

Prior to coaching, Vick’s NFL playing career as a quarterback spanned from 2001-2015. Vick was a four-time Pro Bowler in the NFL as one of the prominent dual-threat passers in the league. He threw for 22,464 yards and 133 touchdowns while rushing for 6,109 yards and 36 rushing touchdowns.

From Playing to Coaching

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Deion Sanders is arguably the greatest defensive back in NFL history. Sanders was selected No. 5 overall in the 1989 NFL Draft. In his NFL career that spanned from 1989-2005, Sanders was a six-time First-team All-Pro, two-time Second-team All-Pro, an eight time Pro Bowler, the 1994 Defensive Player of the Year, and the 1992 kickoff return yards leader.

Sanders is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

After his playing days were over, Deion spent time in media as an analyst. He got his start in college for the Jackson State Tigers. “Coach Prime” had a very successful run with the Tigers in his time there from 2020-2022. They went 27-6 overall in the Sanders era. After the 2022 season, the college football world was taken by storm when accepted the vacant head coaching position with the Colorado Buffaloes.

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Deion was now the coach of a power conference school and they immediately drew eyeballs every time they played. In his first season in 2023, Colorado went 4-8. They followed that up with an impressive 9-4 2024 season before having a disappointing 3-9 2025 season.

Colorado will try to get back to a bowl game for the second time in Deion’s four seasons as coach in Boulder.

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This article first appeared on Colorado Buffaloes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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