Two NFL legends. One iconic stadium. And Lincoln Financial Field witnessed a twist no one saw coming. Two former Eagles stars are returning to their old turf, but this time, on opposite sidelines. Social media was buzzing, the atmosphere was electric, and it was only natural to expect a packed Lincoln Financial Field, right? After all, the whole idea behind these “celebrity coaches” was to bring star power and revenue back into HBCU football. But on Thursday night, when DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State walked away with a 27-20 win against Michael Vick’s Spartans, the real shocker wasn’t on the scoreboard.

But instead of cheers and chaos, there was silence. The stands at Lincoln Financial were nearly empty. Reporter David Malandra Jr. posted pictures of vacant rows on X, captioning. “Empty Stadium following Delaware State defeats Norfolk State in 1st Coaching battle between Michael Vick vs DeSean Jackson
#FlyEaglesFly   #NorfolkState #DelawareState #HBCU #NSUvsDSU.” For all the talk about boosting ticket sales and bringing fresh energy to HBCU football, the reality hit hard on Thursday night. Even with DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets sitting at 5-3 and leading the MEAC, the question is, are fans still not buying into the product, no matter who’s on the sidelines?

Before the kickoff, Grambling’s former HC Doug Williams, who went 62-33, praised both head coaches’ rise in coaching at HBCUs. “DeSean Jackson, at this time, [is] doing a heck of a job up at Delaware State. I don’t think [anybody] expected that to happen. I didn’t, but I like what he’s doing,” Williams said. “Michael Vick, who had a couple of intern stints in the NFL, is down in his hometown. I know he wanted to coach, and Norfolk gave him that opportunity. I think that is great.” For Vick, the matchup sure was special.

Talking about the game, Michael Vick’s Spartans actually struck first. Norfolk State grabbed the lead in the second quarter when Otto Kuhns connected with JJ Evans on a 13-yard touchdown pass to make it 6-3. But DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets quickly flipped the momentum, blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown to take a 10-6 lead heading into halftime.

The Hornets extended that advantage in the third quarter, with quarterback Kaiden Bennett finding Tahmir Ellis for a 24-yard score that pushed it to 19-6. Still, Vick’s team refused to fold. Kuhns fired a 70-yard bomb to bring the Spartans back within striking distance, but Delaware State answered right back. James Jones ripped off a 76-yard touchdown run, followed by a two-point conversion, stretching the lead to 27-13. Norfolk State found the end zone again in the final minute, but a missed kick sealed the 27-20 win for Jackson’s Hornets.

Michael Vick gets real on Delaware State game

Thursday night turned into a full-circle moment for Michael Vick as he and DeSean Jackson shared the same field after their Philadelphia Eagles stint. “I never thought I’d look across the field and watch him coach,” Vick said. “I know vice versa for him. It was just a really cool moment, a surreal moment.”

Hornets took home the win, and at the center of it was Amir Anderson, who blocked a punt for a TD that made it all happen. After the game, Delaware State players took Jackson on their shoulders and started celebrating, a scene that felt like a Super Bowl win moment for the HBCU community. “I’m just proud of, man, both of us,” Jackson said. “We’re in a position where we’re inspiring, changing young men’s lives at HBCUs. Man, it don’t get no better than that.”

The game was more than just box scores. The night was filled with NFL stars like Hugh Douglas, Marshawn Lynch, and Cam Newton, who joined Eagle Brandon Graham in the stands, adding star power to the night.

But for Michael Vick, it turned into a bittersweet moment as they fell to 1-8 in his first season. Despite that, Vick praised his players for their efforts. “Having a chance to work with guys like JJ, guys like DeSean, guys in that locker room, and being part of that HBCU culture is extremely cool,” Vick said. Look, both the coaches are trying to do more than just win the games; they are trying to resonate with Deion Sanders’ success, and for Michael Vick, it’s his only chance to show his dominance.