DeSean Jackson Makes His Plea Clear for HBCU History With Michael Vick

On October 30, two former Eagles teammates, Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson, will return to Lincoln Financial Field—not in pads, but on the sidelines of opposing programs. As first-time head coaches, Vick will lead Norfolk State and Jackson, his home team, Delaware State. The Thursday night game marks the first time the former quarterback–receiver duo will compete against each other in a setting that shaped much of their NFL legacy.

From 2009 to 2013, Vick and Jackson ran the Eagles’ offense with a mix of speed, improvisation, and explosive plays that defined the post-McNabb era. Their most iconic moment came in 2010, when they helped erase a 21-point deficit in under eight minutes against the Giants—a game now immortalized as the “Miracle at the New Meadowlands.” Over a decade later, both are stepping into coaching roles at two underdog programs: Norfolk State hasn’t posted a winning season since 2016, and Delaware State has gone 2–21 over the past two years.

The matchup is loaded with nostalgia, but it also brings up a strange question for fans who watched them build those memories together. During a recent conversation with NFL reporter Symone Stanley, Jackson was asked a question that reflects the awkwardness of the moment for longtime Eagles supporters: “How are we supposed to approach this as Eagles’ fans because we want both of y’all to win?”. In Philadelphia, where fan loyalty runs deep, this game presents an unusual emotional split– one that even Jackson himself wasn’t quite sure how to answer at first.

“You’re gonna have to act like, you’re gonna have to support DSU, and you’re gonna have to have a Norfolk State Jersey, you know, man? But, yeah, I think for us, you can’t really root, or like, cheer for no particular team. But y’all got to get rowdy, like everybody. You could just be loud and all,” declared DeSean Jackson. He did, however, make one subtle request with a grin, “We the home team.” Stanley’s response? “But they’re green?” And that’s when Stanley dropped the perfect suggestion, a split-jersey, which could include both Michael Vick and Jackson’s names and allegiances. Jackson at first was baffled by the idea, but later seemed to buy into the idea. 

“Like Vic and Jackson Jersey?” asked Jackson to Stanley as she said, “Yeah.” Jackson endorsed the idea quickly: “That’s true because he got his Vick. I got my Jackson, so just collide, and there’ll be I got you. Yeah, we’re gonna try to figure that one out because you said we need to split jerseys,” concluded Jackson. And guess what? Even Michael Vick seemed sold on the idea as Jackson asked him about it. All in all, the game on 30th October at Lincoln Financial Field is going to be a spectacle, and the rumblings of which are being seen already.

Beyond the spectacle and sentiment, this showdown could mark something far more meaningful: a bigger spotlight moment for HBCU football at large. The presence of two NFL icons commanding the sidelines under prime-time lights is a headline event. And if the energy surrounding October 30 is any indication, this might not just be a one-off nostalgic clash, but a template for the future.