Sep 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (R) talks with former player Michael Vick (L) before a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Report: Michael Vick agrees to become Norfolk State coach

Norfolk State and Michael Vick have an agreement in place to make the former NFL star the next head coach of the Spartans’ FCS football program, the Virginian-Pilot reported on Tuesday.

Vick, 44, emerged as a candidate for the opening on Monday, and ESPN followed with a report claiming that Sacramento State was also in the running for Vick.

A native of Newport News, Va., less than 30 miles from the campus in Norfolk, Vick opted to stay close to home. This will be his first coaching job of any kind.

“I know how to lead and I know what it takes,” he told the Pilot on Monday.

Vick replaces Dawson Odums, fired by the school on Nov. 26. Odums led the MEAC school to a 15-31 mark in four seasons. Norfolk State went 4-8 in 2024.

Vick threw for 22,464 yards, 133 touchdowns and 88 interceptions in 143 career NFL games (115 starts) with four teams, most notably the Atlanta Falcons (2001-06) and Philadelphia Eagles (2009-13). He rushed for another 6,109 yards and 36 TDs.

He was suspended from football in 2007 and 2008 for his role in an illegal dog-fighting ring, which landed him in federal prison for 21 months. He won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2010.

Vick starred at Virginia Tech for two seasons, passing for 3,074 yards and rushing for 1,202. He combined for 36 TDs. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the Falcons in the 2001 draft.

–Field Level Media

Feb 7, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Michael Vick at Fox Sports media day at the Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Michael Vick in talks to become head coach at Norfolk St.

Former four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Michael Vick said he is in talks with Norfolk State about becoming the team’s new head coach, The Virginian-Pilot reported on Monday.

Vick, who has no coaching experience at any level, told the newspaper that he has interviewed with the school’s president and athletic director and expects an answer “soon.”

“I know how to lead and I know what it takes,” he told the Pilot.

Should he get hired, Vick would replace Dawson Odums, fired by the school on Nov. 26. Odums led the MEAC school to a 15-31 mark in four seasons.

Vick grew up in Newport News, Va., less than 30 miles from the campus in Norfolk.

Vick, 44, threw for 22,464 yards, 133 touchdowns against 88 interceptions in 143 career NFL games (115 starts) with four teams, most notably the Atlanta Falcons (2001-06) and Philadelphia Eagles (2009-13). He rushed for another 6,109 yards and 36 TDs.

He was suspended from football in 2007 and 2008 for his role in an illegal dog-fighting ring, which landed him in federal prison for 21 months. He won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2010.

Vick starred at Virginia Tech for two seasons, passing for 3,074 yards and rushing for 1,202. He scored 36 TDs combined. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the Falcons in the 2001 draft.

–Field Level Media

Jan 18, 2023; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Former NFL quarterback and Virginia Tech Hokies player Michael Vick watches from courtside during the Hokies' game against the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Vick, Larry Fitzgerald lead College FB HOF ballot

Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Vick and Terrell Suggs highlight 78 former players on the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame ballot released Monday by the National Football Foundation.

The ballot also includes nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision as well as 101 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks.

Fitzgerald, Vick and Suggs all made the ballot in their first year of eligibility.

“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot considering more than 5.62 million people have played college football and only 1,074 players have been inducted,” NFF president & CEO Steve Hatchell said in the release. “The Hall’s requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and we look forward to announcing the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class early next year.”

Vick led Virginia Tech to the then-BCS National Championship game on Jan. 4, 2000, a 46-29 loss to Florida State. He finished third in the 1999 Heisman Trophy voting, throwing for 2,065 yards and rushing for another 682. He combined for 22 touchdowns. He went No. 1 to the Atlanta Falcons in 2001.

Fitzgerald won the Biletnikoff Award in 2003 and finished second in Heisman balloting after catching 92 passes for 1,672 yards and 22 TDs. Pitt retired his No. 1 jersey in 2013. He went on to be the No. 4 pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Suggs recorded 44 sacks in three seasons at Arizona State with 65 1/2 tackles for loss. He was selected 10th overall in the 2003 draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

Membership voting goes through June 30. The announcement of who will be inducted will come in early 2024.

–Field Level Media

Nov 6, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) rushes the ball for a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Bears’ Justin Fields breaks NFL QB rushing record

Chicago’s Justin Fields broke the NFL single-game rushing record for a quarterback during the Bears’ 35-32 loss at Miami on Sunday.

Fields ran for 178 yards on 15 carries, including a 61-yard touchdown, to eclipse the regular-season record of 173 yards established by the Atlanta Falcons’ Michael Vick on Dec. 1, 2002 at Minnesota.

Fields completed 17 of 28 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns, but the Bears (3-6) lost for the fifth time in six games.

Fields, 23, has rushed for 602 yards and four touchdowns and passed for 1,322 yards and 10 scores through nine starts in his second season. The Bears drafted him No. 11 overall in 2021.

–Field Level Media

Jan 3, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) defended by Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darius Phillips (23) during the first quarter at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Jackson first QB to rush for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons

Lamar Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons while leading the Baltimore Ravens against the host Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Jackson, 23, rushed for 97 yards on 11 carries Sunday to give him 1,005 yards for the season. The reigning NFL MVP also completed 10 of 18 passes for 113 yards with three touchdowns and an interception before being pulled late in the third quarter with his team holding a 31-3 lead.

The Ravens could clinch their third straight trip to the playoffs with a victory over the Bengals.

Jackson entered the game needing 92 rushing yards to reach 1,000.

Jackson rushed for an NFL quarterback-record 1,206 yards last year in his first full year as a starter. The mark eclipsed Michael Vick’s record of 1,039, which he set in 2006 — the only season in which he broke 1,000 yards.

–Field Level Media

Oct 4, 2020; Landover, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to make pass against the Washington Football Team during the second quarter at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens QB Jackson tops Vick for passing, rushing milestone

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson became the fastest player to notch 5,000 career passing yards and 2,000 career rushing yards on Sunday.

Jackson, 23, achieved the feat in his 35th career game, easily surpassing previous record holder Michael Vick, who reached the milestone in 39 games. Jackson had a career-high 50-yard rushing touchdown and threw for two TDs in Sunday’s 31-17 win against the Washington Football Team.

The Ravens drafted Jackson in the first round (No. 32 overall) out of Louisville in 2018. Last season he became the youngest quarterback ever to win the league MVP award.

In an interview with Yahoo Sports last year, Vick said he marveled at Jackson’s athleticism.

“Every time I get this question, I probably give a different answer,” Vick said. “But (here’s) the truth behind it — I never thought I’d see another guy come into the NFL that looks like me. I really didn’t. Like, where is he gonna come from? What is he gonna look like? How can he do what I did? Can it be done? (But) when I watch Lamar, I’m in shock. Then I think about the conversations I had with Lamar in college, coming into the NFL, and I pretty much told him what he needed to do to look like me (in the NFL) when I seen him look like me in college. I shouldn’t be surprised.”

–Field Level Media