Michael Vick couldn’t help but get emotional as he discussed his new head coaching job with Norfolk State.
The former NFL quarterback was officially announced as the new head coach of the program last week and will be introduced at a press conference on Monday.
But he addressed his new job on Fox’s NFL pregame show on Sunday, where he’s served as an analyst since 2017.
Vick couldn’t keep it together after host Charissa Thompson and fellow analysts Charles Woodson and Julian Edelman all broke out Norfolk State hats as they congratulated him on the news.
“First off, just, being a big part of Fox Sports and the opportunity,” Vick said on-air after wiping away tears seconds earlier. “I love you guys, I love everybody in this building. And this administration have been amazing to me. This wasn’t easy, bittersweet, but when you got a chance to go, get an opportunity to go lead young men in your community, where I grew up, y’know watching this team, and I wanted them to be assured that they wanted me as the head coach with no [coaching] experience. But I got what it takes, I got the right people around me, and I’m ready to embark on a new journey.”
The moment meant as much to Vick as it did to the studio crew around him, with Thompson describing the loss for Fox Sports as “their gain” and calling Vick “our teammate for life.”
Woodson praised Vick’s passion and encouraged any athletes watching to go to Norfolk State because “you can get the best knowledge from this guy.”
“This will forever be home and I’ll never forget it,” Vick said.
Vick was a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback during his 13-year NFL career that included time with the Falcons, Eagles, Jets and Steelers.
NSU Athletic Director Melody Webb expressed excitement over the hiring of Vick in a press release announcing the news.
“Coach Vick is one of the most electric athletes to ever come out of Virginia,” Webb said. “From humble beginnings to massive stardom, we hope that his story will translate to student-athletes here at Norfolk State. I am confident that our football program will establish sustainable recruiting pipelines in the state of Virginia and across the country with this hire.”
