Michael Vick talks coaching, wanting to be like Andy Reid, and getting career advice from Deion Sanders

NEW YORK — Before the release of Michael Vick’s BET docuseries, which follows his journey as the head coach of Norfolk State’s football team, the former Eagles quarterback joined Fanatics Fest on Sunday for a special live discussion detailing the transition from NFL superstar to college football coach.

“I always wanted to coach,” Vick said at the interactive sports and collectible festival. “It was always something I could see myself doing in the future. … When I got the news that Norfolk State wanted me to come coach, I called the people that I knew would give me the best advice. And even though it was two years ahead of the time that I wanted to do it, because I wanted to continue working at Fox, we felt like the time was now to walk through the door.”

One of the people Vick reached out to was Deion Sanders, another former NFL player turned college head coach, who led Colorado to a 9-4 overall record last season.

“I reached out to the people that I trusted to help me make decisions,” Vick said. “Norfolk State doesn’t happen without the other people bringing light and giving me the confidence that I could do it.”

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After playing under Andy Reid for four seasons, Vick believes he’s in a good place to return to his home state of Virginia and take over the Spartans.

“I watched everything,” Vick said. “When I think of Andy, I just think of him as a true role model in life. And it wasn’t just for me. It was for so many people like myself, Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson, Fletcher Cox, Donovan McNabb. He poured into so many people in there. … He genuinely loved us, and he still [does]. So I hope I can have that same relationship with our players over the years.”

Vick is heading to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this year to make his collegiate coaching debut. BET will document the season and air the still-unnamed series sometime next year.

“The thing that I love the most about working with Mike is the passion he brings to everything he does,” said FredAnthony Smith, an executive producer of the BET series. “Whether it’s working at Fox, whether it’s his playing career, and now coaching. He’s passionate about it, brings energy, and then his family is a huge part of everything he does as well. … So, really excited about sharing the story.”

Fans can expect Norfolk State’s highly anticipated game against Delaware State, coached by Jackson, to be part of the series. The game, which is Oct. 30, recently was moved to Lincoln Financial Field, where the former Eagles teammates played.

“I grew up watching Norfolk State, not aspiring to go to Norfolk State as a school, because I knew my direction in order to make it to the NFL,” Vick said. “But my coaches in Pop Warner, they used to take us to Norfolk State games, and I remember the game was just exciting. It was a great culture, it was good people, and they really seemed like they loved football.”

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That passion will be on display in the series as Vick tries to improve upon the program’s 4-8 season in 2024. Besides following Vick’s first season as a head coach, Smith said the series also will dive into the evolution of the Black quarterback.

When asked why the series is being released on BET, Vick responded bluntly.

“Oh, you already know the answer to that question,” he said. “I mean, it’s an HBCU. And what BET stands for, what they meant to the Black entertainment community, showcasing on that level, I think it’s amazing. … It just fits. So I was really comfortable with it.”