Ex-Falcons' Michael Vick Speaks Out on New Job Upon First Success

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick addressed how he is approaching his first season as Norfolk State head coach after the conclusion of National Signing Day.

Michael Vick | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former quarterback Michael Vick will join Deion Sanders as an Atlanta Falcons legends trying to carve out a career as a college football coach in 2025. Norfolk State named Vick its college football head coach in December.

Over the past six weeks, Vick has been hard at work landing his first recruiting class and devising a plan for Norfolk State football. He shared a little bit of that plan with Falcons beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter.

"One of the first things I'm going to do to change the program is gain the trust of the players,"Vick told Ledbetter. "Then consistency, the way we get up every day. Winning every day."

There's plenty of room for improvement. Norfolk State has posted just one winning season over the last 17 years. That came in 2021 when the team was 6-5.

Vick appeared to have Norfolk State taking a step in the right direction, though, on National Signing Day. The Spartans successfully recruited 30 players for the 2025 class from across the country.

The class included both high school prospects and players from the transfer portal. But like Sanders in the past, Vick appeared to concentrate his recruiting on experienced college players.

"Out of the 30 signees, 22 were mid-year enrollees, giving them the opportunity to integrate into the program ahead of the fall season," wrote HBCU Game Day's Steven J. Gaither. "Transfers from across the HBCU landscape bolstered Norfolk State’s depth, including linebacker Jaden Kelly from Arkansas-Pine Bluff and wide receiver Kymari Gray from Hampton."

Norfolk State also landed quarterback Israel Carter from the transfer portal. Carter, a former South Florida 3-star recruit, is an early favorite to start behind center for the Spartans in 2025.

Vick also relied on his roots in Virginia. He landed 11 players from his home state of Virginia.

Given Vick's past and his departure from the Falcons, it's not safe to assume everyone in Atlanta is rooting for the quarterback to be successful. He also doesn't have the same national appeal as Sanders.

But he continues to be popular among some fans in the city. Therefore, he's likely to remain a moderate point of interest.