Back in ’07, if someone told you Michael Vick would be giving locker room pep talks at a college program by 2025, you’d laugh so hard you’d pull a hammy. This was the same QB the media crucified. Prison sentence, bankrupt, endorsements gone, career toast. But life loves a plot twist—and Vick? He’s flipping the whole script. These days, he’s not throwing bombs on the field. He’s dropping wisdom at Norfolk State, talking God, redemption, and how the same man who once had less than zero in the bank is now the face of second chances.

So how did we get here? In December 2024, Norfolk State went all-in. After a nasty 4–8 campaign, they dramatically hit reset by hiring Michael Vick as head coach. Hampton Roads icons like Allen Iverson and Bruce Smith pulled up for his intro presser. The hometown kid was back, but this time, wearing a headset instead of a helmet.

Let’s not sugarcoat it. Vick’s past is stained. The infamous dogfighting scandal. “Bad Newz Kennels” wasn’t just a federal indictment—it was a cultural reckoning. Nike dropped him. The Falcons snatched back his $20M signing bonus like repo men. And the feds handed him 23 months of hard time. From a $130 million contract to rock bottom. Yet somehow, the man found grace.

And he isn’t hiding it. On July 7th, Coach Vick sat down on the “Got Sole” podcast with host Jonathan DiModica and opened up in a way that stopped people mid-scroll. DiModica didn’t tiptoe either. He asked point-blank: “There’s some people that are gonna feel the way they feel, but for the majority, the world gave you a second chance, and you proved yourself. Did you know the world was gonna give you a second chance?”

He credited the Holy Spirit and the folks who saw more in him than a criminal record. The people who bet on his growth, not his past. “I gotta reciprocate that same love,” he added. “It comes with pressure… but it’s cool, man.” That pressure? Vick isn’t afraid of it. He embraces it and believes it’s what keeps him sharp. That if you’re not waking up feeling the weight of expectations, then maybe you’re not walking the right path. The lesson? Second chances don’t come wrapped in a bow. They come with responsibility. Then came the tough one.

DiModica asked what life looked like financially after prison. “You came out of jail, we’re talkin’ about all this money you had in football and all these things—but the word has it that when you came out of jail, you had negative $1,000 in your bank account. What was that plan? You know—starting from scratch?” DiModica asked.

Vick didn’t flinch and then doubled down: “Starting from scratch? Ain’t no plan. You just gotta—like, my plan was to play. I was still young. So it was to get back into the league. And like I said, thank God I had the right people in my corner who was pushin’ that. Who wanted me to have a second chance, second opportunity.” He said it straight—there were people who knew him personally, knew he could be an “a—–,” but still believed he wasn’t a lost cause. That’s rare. And for Vick, that grace became fuel. Those 21 months behind bars didn’t just teach him humility; they carved out a new version of him. Vick’s comeback wasn’t just about football. It was about character. Redemption. Proof that sometimes, your lowest point is just the prep for your highest climb.

Michael Vick backs Browns QB Shedeur Sanders

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that Vick is now standing behind another young man who’s facing the odds: Shedeur Sanders. You want to talk about a draft day slide that felt like it had banana peels? That’s Shedeur. The same QB who torched defenses in college, suddenly found himself waiting… and waiting… until the Cleveland Browns scooped him up way later than anyone predicted. Once a top-5 projection, now sharing a QB room with a collection of chaos. Deshaun Watson’s injury saga, Joe Flacco’s last stand, Kenny Pickett’s comeback campaign, and Dillon Gabriel’s rookie reps—this isn’t your normal depth chart. Still, Michael Vick sees the beauty in it.

“He went to a situation where, at some point, they’re going to need him,” Vick said confidently. And you know what? He might just be right.

The Browns may be a quarterback carousel, but Shedeur might be the calm in that storm. With Watson out, Flacco aging, Pickett still trying to rewrite his narrative, and Gabriel untested—it’s wide open. And while the world sees instability, Vick sees opportunity. Even head coach Kevin Stefanski isn’t hiding it either. “I’m enjoying watching him progress with every single meeting, with every single rep, he’s doing a great job,” said Stefanski. Translation? The kid’s turning heads.

Minicamp numbers back it up: 77.4% completion rate, nine touchdowns. That Deion DNA is showing. Vick’s rooting hard—not just because of Shedeur’s talent, but because he knows what it’s like to be written off and handed a shot you weren’t supposed to get. The road’s long. The climb is steep. But with the right folks in your corner, and a chip on your shoulder, it’s all possible.