Sixteen years ago, Michael Vick stood almost lifeless in the courtroom as the Judge pronounced him guilty for the dogfight scandal. Fast forward to 2009, when no NFL team wanted the once dual-threat QB, Andy Reid showed up. Vick signed a modest two-year deal to be a backup behind Kevin Kolb and the Eagles legend Donovan McNabb. But he soon got a chance to redeem his name. Just 22 minutes into the Eagles’ 2010 season opener against the Green Bay Packers, Kevin Kolb dropped back on a 3rd and 14 when Clay Matthews slammed him to the turf, leaving him with a concussion, ruling him out. McNabb was traded to Washington before the season. And that left Vick.

Redeeming his name, the QB finished with 333 passing yards, 80 rushing yards, and earned a 150+ passer rating in a 59-28 win over the Redskins (now Commanders). Fast forward to 2025, and that same man is now gearing up to lead Norfolk State as its head coach. The comeback, the mindset shift, and the redemption all circle back to one name—Andy Reid. So, when the time comes, he never misses to mention the mentors who brought him back to life.

On Tuesday’s episode of The Blessed Code, Michael Vick gave his flowers to the man he calls his true mentor even though he never named him. “I wanted to be a professional football player with no distractions and no setbacks. I avoided those distractions and setbacks for a long time, and then as soon as I got to where I needed to go, I just wish there was no more distractions and setbacks, and then your mindset becomes that. My mindset now, well, you can’t ask me to do nothing crazy now or even 10 years ago, once I got released, once I moved on in life.

“I got the right mentors and right people in my life. You couldn’t get me to agree to do nothing that was going to potentially harm myself, my family, or you know, anything that I was working hard towards,” Vick added. That mindset and discipline are Andy Reid’s blueprint, echoing through Vick’s indirect gratitude.

In 2009, Michael Vick’s assets had been seized. He owed the Atlanta Falcons $20 million in bonuses. Nike had dropped him. Bankruptcy court had his name etched on its docket. He was, by every football measure, radioactive. But at that time, Andy Reid wasn’t just coaching the Philadelphia Eagles. He was rescuing souls.

Vick threw for 3,018 yards and racked up 21 total TDs in his second season for the Falcons and swept NFL Comeback Player of the Year, winning back his life. “Andy just overall helped me become a well-rounded individual. Helped me grow up as a man. Andy, I got with him when I was 29 years old, and I think that’s really when you’re entering into your prime… He was never afraid to tell me the right things to do, and I always appreciated that,” he said back in April during a WAVY TV 10 interview. And that transformation didn’t just end in the locker room.

Andy Reid is Michael Vick’s mentor and motivation

Nike re-signed Michael Vick. The media started telling a different story. Andy Reid stood tall through the noise, never once flinching about giving Vick that second chance. “I’ll never forget the opportunities given to me by this organization and by Andy Reid. That will never change,” he said in 2013, his final year with Philly.

As for Andy Reid, he still rides for his guy. When Michael Vick was named head coach of Norfolk State last December, the now Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs HC dropped a public gem—“Man, is that school lucky to have you? You’re going to do a great job. Those kids are fortunate to have you. Probably most of all, to learn from [you]. You’ll be awesome. You’ll be great for the University. I love you and I know you’re gonna do a great job for them. So, all the best. Going forward, I’m a Norfolk fan.”

The Spartans are coming off a 4-8 campaign and haven’t had postseason relevance in years. But now, they’ve got a HC who’s redeemed himself in many ways possible. Now, there will be cuts. There will be fire. But for once, Michael Vick’s not just making plays. He’s building men. And it all started with a coach that saw redemption while others saw risk.