The NFL-to-HBCU coaching pipeline might have some new members very soon. Michael Vick took over at Norfolk State, and DeSean Jackson landed at Delaware State. But now their fellow NFL legends Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ocho” Johnson are playfully entertaining the idea of following suit. 

The whole thing kicked off when Sharpe mentioned Kiffin’s reported $14 million salary offers from schools like LSU, Florida, and Ole Miss. Ocho, never one to miss an opportunity, immediately pounced: “So you think about coaching now? You can think about it.” 

Sharpe, ever practical, had concerns about the road grind: “I can’t be on the road. I have a bad back.” But his co-host already had the perfect solution worked out in his mind.

“Okay, but listen. You just coach the home games, no problem. I’ll be your assistant head coach and take over the games on the road. Boom. Problem solved.” The arrangement sounds absurd on paper. But somehow it makes perfect sense coming from two guys who’ve spent their careers breaking conventional molds.​

Then Ocho dropped the actual bombshell. He’d apparently gotten wind of a potential opening through the grapevine. “I just heard from a little birdie that the head coaching job is going to be available down there at FAMU. What do you think about me and you going down to FAMU, moving to Tallahassee? You can coach all the games at home. All the games on the road? I take over. Think about all the players we can get in the portal to come on down to Tallahassee.”

While FAMU’s current head coach, James Colzie III, has been building something promising since taking over in 2024, Ocho’s sources apparently suggest changes could be brewing.​ But the conversation started with money, and ultimately circled back to money.

Sharpe fired, “Ocho, you’re going to an HBCU. They are not going to pay you $14 million. You’re not going to even get a million. The highest-paid HBCU coach, Michael Vick, makes $300,000 to $400,000.” 

“I’ll talk to the program. We’ll give you $500,000,” was the former wide receiver’s response, that expectedly couldn’t convince Sharpe.

But if all of this sounds far-fetched, then consider their credentials. Shannon Sharpe is a Hall of Famer who redefined the tight end position during his 14-year career. When he retired, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns by a tight end. Sharpe also won three Super Bowls, made eight Pro Bowls, and earned four All-Pro selections.

Ocho, meanwhile, put together a resume that belongs in Canton. He has six Pro Bowl selections, 766 receptions for 11,059 yards, and 67 touchdowns over 11 seasons. And interestingly, Ocho has already tried dipping his toes in coaching waters. 

Back in March 2016, Johnson served as a guest instructor for the Cleveland Browns, offering tips on route running and other aspects. It was later revealed that the retired player wanted to “try his hand” at coaching. 

For now, Shannon and Ocho will keep doing what they do best, which is talking football, making each other laugh, and occasionally floating ideas that sound ridiculous until you remember who’s doing the talking. Whether they ever actually make the leap to FAMU or anywhere else remains to be seen.

For now, though, we’ll have to stay satisfied by watching the two other NFL-turned-CFB bigwigs.

From the sidelines to the sidelines

Michael Vick spent years as an NFL analyst on Fox, never imagining he’d be roaming the sidelines as a head coach. “I didn’t see coaching in my future at all until about maybe seven or eight years ago,” Vick revealed after taking the job.

“I always thought it would be a long TV career, which I enjoyed every minute of that, but I always wanted to have my own team one day. It feels good to now have my own team that God gave me. I appreciate that, and I’m taking full advantage of it.” Unfortunately, the transition hasn’t been smooth. 

Vick ended his first season with a 1-11 record. He had to make mid-season coaching changes on the defensive side after allowing 35.6 points per game through seven weeks. Still, Vick brought unprecedented buzz to the program. And at a game against his former Eagles teammate DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State squad, over 47,000 fans packed Lincoln Financial Field to watch two HBCU programs in what felt like a homecoming celebration.​

DeSean Jackson, meanwhile, took a different path but arrived at the same destination. The 38-year-old was Delaware State’s first major hire under new athletic director Tony Tucker. And he’s delivered results that nobody predicted this fast. His team finished 8-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play.

After beating his former teammate and mentor, Jackson couldn’t help but reflect on the surreal nature of their journey: “I would have never envisioned this. I could have never imagined it. I could have never predicted it. It just shows you how well God works.”

Both coaches are learning on the fly about being a head coach. But they’re also part of a growing trend of HBCUs betting on NFL legends. They bring star power, recruiting pull, and a different kind of credibility to programs desperate for a jolt of energy.​