Michael Vick couldn't help but get emotional as he discussed his new job as head coach with Norfolk State.
The former NFL quarterback was officially announced as the program's new head coach last week and will be introduced at a press conference on Monday.
But he spoke about his new job on Fox's NFL pregame show Sunday, where he has served as an analyst since 2017.
Vick couldn't keep it together after host Charissa Thompson and fellow analysts Charles Woodson and Julian Edelman all broke out their Norfolk State caps while congratulating him on the news.
“First, just being a big part of Fox Sports and the opportunity,” Vick said on air after wiping away tears seconds earlier. “I love you guys, I love everyone in this building. And this administration has been amazing to me. This has not been easy, bittersweet, but when you have the opportunity to go, get the opportunity to lead young people in your community, where you grew up, and you know watching this team And I wanted them to be reassured that they wanted me as head coach without… [coaching] expertise. But I have what it takes, I have the right people around me, and I'm ready to embark on a new journey.
The moment meant as much to Vick as it did to the studio crew around him, with Thompson calling Fox Sports' loss “their gain” and calling Vick “our teammate for life.”
Woodson praised Vick's passion and encouraged any athlete he watched to go to Norfolk State because “you can get the best knowledge from this guy.”
“This will forever be my home and I will never forget it,” Vick said.
Vick was a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback during a 13-year NFL career that included time with the Falcons, Eagles, Jets and Steelers.
NSU Athletic Director Melody Webb expressed his excitement about Vick's hiring in a press release announcing the news.
“Coach Vick is one of the most electric athletes to ever come out of Virginia,” Webb said. “From his humble beginnings to tremendous stardom, we hope his story translates to student-athletes here at Norfolk State. I am confident that our football program will create sustainable recruiting pipelines in the state of Virginia and across the country with this recruitment.”
