Michael Vick’s arm always had a way of making things look easy. Back in the day, it was flick of the wrist and then a blur of green as DeSean Jackson  would be seen streaking down the sideline. But football has a way of flipping the script for these two former Philly teammates. On October 30, at Lincoln Financial Field, Vick’s Norfolk State will line up against Jackson’s Delaware State. Roster brothers turned coaching rivals. And when it comes to HBCU college football, Deion Sanders will have something to say about it.

Prime Time never missed the moment. Deion Sanders, the Godfather of this new HBCU wave, hopped on X on September 9 with a photo edit of Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson. Tagging them, he wrote, “I Love these Brothers 2 Life!” Vick didn’t need more than four words to write back, “Love you always Prime!” The Colorado HC knows how it feels like to walk into an HBCU program and turn doubt into dominance. And now, he sees the two younger men trying to write their own chapters. 

Michael Vick opened his season with a loss against the Towson Tigers. But in the second week against Virginia State, Norfolk State was able to mount a comeback. Down 31-10 in the fourth, Otto Kuhns, the backup QB, engineered a rally that left their opponent gasping. Two touchdowns through the air. One rushing TD by Jaylen Loudermilk on a 33-yard scamper. And then Evan Helfrich drilled a 29-yard field goal in overtime to seal a 34-31 win. Vick got his first taste of victory. But more importantly, he may have found his QB.

If Michael Vick’s first win can be seen as dramatic. Then DeSean Jackson’s first win was at a whole other level. Lightning delays turned Delaware State’s duel with UAlbany into a seven-and-a-half-hour marathon that bled into Sunday morning. But Jackson’s Hornets never blinked. QB Kaiden Bennett ran like his cleats were on fire and racked up 137 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner from 27 yards out. RB Marquis Gillis added 163 rushing yards of his own. By the end, the Hornets had pounded out 436 rushing yards at 6.3 yards per attempt, and winning 37-32. This put Jackson’s coaching record also at 1-1. And while Vick and Jackson celebrated their first wins, there’s no mistaking whose fingerprints are on this HBCU resurgence.

Deion Sanders’ HBCU blueprint paying off 

When Deion Sanders took over at Jackson State in 2020, he oversaw a resurgence. Two SWAC titles and a cultural reset later, he showed the entire sport that HBCUs could be front-page news again. He turned overlooked programs into prime-time stories, and in the process, made it impossible to ignore the talent and tradition that had been there all along. That’s why his influence on guys like Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson is so real. 

Deion Sanders’ blueprint is simple but powerful. Embrace the culture, recruit with energy, and turn opportunities into statements. Now Vick and Jackson are following that path, just like Eddie George at Tennessee State and Hue Jackson at Grambling. “I love that they’re getting opportunities,” he said back in January. “Because we never got these opportunities.” These hires are proof that HBCUs are giving NFL greats chances the Power Five never did.

And Coach Prime hasn’t left them on an island. He’s still checking in, offering guidance, and reminding them that every stumble he made can become a lesson for their climb. Deion Sanders held the door wide enough for a new generation of NFL legends to walk through and become coaches.