Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson, & HBCU Football’s Hopeful Reawakening

The arrival of Vick and Jackson at Norfolk State and Delaware State is flashy, but is it a shooting star or a new trend that could restore relevance to HBCUs?

When an athlete is drafted by the NFL or NBA, the term generational wealth is often used. Many athletes come from poor backgrounds, so the contract and fame of being a professional often allows them an opportunity to set themselves and their family up for financial success for multiple generations. But what if they wanted to expand beyond that?

Many players become coaches after they retire, with the intention of being a teacher for the next generation of athletes. For some this is at the NFL as a position coach, for others it is at a Division I program in college. But now there is a new wrinkle that gained steam in popularity: coaching at the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) level. What started with Deion Sanders at Jackson State has extended to Eddie George at Tennessee State and most recently with the hirings of Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson at Norfolk State and Delaware State, respectively.

These former players that were stars in the NFL are taking their knowledge of football, name recognition as NFL stars, and trying to parlay that into a successful coaching career. But is this an indication of an…