Picture a spectrum ranging from positive deeds to atrocious ones. Is it possible for things on opposing sides of this spectrum to mutually coexist within one person. Well, it is. Former no. 1 overall draft pick and 4x Pro Bowler Michael Vick is a testament to this. An enigma when he burst onto the NFL scene, Vick did great things with a pigskin. He set the precedent of his archetype and style of quarterbacks to be successful in the league. The likes of Cam Newton and, more recently, Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels owe a lot to him for blazing the trail for the running QB. A positive impact on the sport by all accounts. However, Vick also indulged in some atrocities simultaneously.

At the peak of his NFL career with the Falcons, Michael Vick was convicted of spearheading a dog-fighting ring. He wasn’t a mere ancillary who got caught in the midst of a bigger ploy. Vick really ran the thing, both financially and operationally. He was incarcerated for this absolutely lamentable act for 18 months in ‘07. While Vick did return to the league in ‘09 and had a degree of success, too, he never got unanimous acceptance. Less so forgiveness. It’s understandable why the masses, who previously loved Vick, never let this go. Well, this marred icon is now back in the sport via the coaching realm. But the demons of his past continue to spawn as a nagging reminder.

Michael Vick is now the new head coach at Norfolk State. The latest adopter of the trend where NFL vets foray into College Football through the HBCU route. Deion Sanders set things in motion, and a lot followed suit. Alas, Vick has never been in the HC capacity at any level. Learning things on the fly means Vick’s contending with a lot of curveballs in his first off-season. He came across one via the media pertaining to his scandalous past. In an interview with WTKR News 3, Vick spoke about how he wants his players to see beyond his image as a star and get to know him as a person. Later, he was confronted with a question he seemed a little flustered by. Which is expected given the subject matter. 

“When you came here, obviously, there were a lot of reactions,” said the interviewer. “What is your message to people who say, ‘Hey. You shouldn’t be here because of this past?” The details were sparse, but Michael Vick understood the underlying connotation.

“I don’t really feel like I need to feed into it. I don’t know. I have no answer for that question,” replied Vick. “God is good. God has blessed me and my family…blessed everybody in this program for us to be in each other’s presence. I’ve actually never heard anything [from] outside…so I really can’t give an answer,” he proceeded. Well, there definitely was noise. Whether this was a subversion of the topic or Vick has genuinely moved past caring about it is up for discourse.

To be fair to Michael Vick, he has mended his ways. He was apologetic when he was reinstated into the NFL upon the end of his sentence. He’s even been a proponent of the fight against animal cruelty. But that blemish on his image still exists and will perpetually. The twisted nature of the crime makes it difficult for many to separate from the criminal in their minds. But external noise really isn’t something Vick can bother with at this juncture. He’s got more current, and more professional matters are taking precedence.

Michael Vick opens up about one of the pitfalls of coaching at an HBCU

Michael Vick has worked some interning, consultancy, and coordinating roles across different rungs of the football ladder. But, as aforementioned, he’s never been a head coach. Even for something that’s been around the game for decades, it’s a different kettle of fish to contend with. There’s more onus and responsibility that needs reciprocation in less time. Vick’s definitely feeling the duress he’s under, especially making this transition in the NIL era. But it’s bringing about a level of “excitement.”

“This has been fun. To be acclimated and back involved in football coaching, and having the team that I get to coach for days on end is the most exciting thing that I’ve encountered in a long time since playing the game,” he said while guesting at a MEAC basketball event. That said, Vick also spoke to fellow NFL legend Marshawn Lynch about how he’s learning about the handicap Norfolk State have on the NIL and recruitment front the hard way. “I’m taking the ‘embrace it approach…They’re offering you some bread? I can’t do that.”

You can keep great players out of the game, but you can’t keep the game out of great players. While he was great on the mic in his stint as an analyst on FOX, Michael Vick knew his calling was in the thick of the action. It remains to be seen whether he can further follow the footsteps of Deion Sanders and actually ascend through the levels of the sport as a coach. But for now, the focus will solely be on building something at Norfolk State. Success will sure go a long way in earning back some of the respect and reverence he lost within the public lens. Michael Vick should by no means be absolved of his brutal crimes. But he has managed to earn a shot at redemption on the sidelines.