Michael Vick

Michael Vick, a former professional football quarterback, carved a solid career in the National Football League (NFL) over 13 seasons. During his college football career at Virginia Tech, Vick stood out, receiving the Archie Griffin Award and being named First-team All-American, Big East Offensive Player of the Year, and Big East Rookie of the Year all in 1999. In the same year, he led the NCAA in passing efficiency, setting a record for a freshman and the third-highest all-time mark. Earning recognition by his peers, Vick was invited to the 1999 Heisman Trophy presentation and finished third in the voting. His talent wasn't unnoticed by the Atlanta Falcons, who selected Vick first in the 2001 NFL draft, marking him as the first African-American quarterback to be taken with the top pick.

Throughout his career, Vick demonstrated his unique skill set on the field. He holds the NFL record for career yards per carry (minimum 750 career rushing attempts) with 7.0 and for career rushing yards by a quarterback with 6,109. Vick also became the first quarterback to ever rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season in 2006. His performance on the field led to numerous recognitions, being named to the Pro Bowl four times (2002, 2004, 2005, 2010), receiving the Bert Bell Award in 2010, and being named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in the same year. He retired from professional football in 2017, but his connection with the game remained intact. Post-NFL, Vick served as a coach for the Atlanta Legends in 2019 and was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in the same year.

Following his retirement, Vick continued to contribute to the sport in various capacities. He joined the Kansas City Chiefs as a coaching intern during their 2017 training camp, and later transitioned into an NFL analyst on Fox NFL Kickoff. His coaching journey continued when he was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football in 2018 before shifting to a consultant role before the season began. Vick was named head football coach at Norfolk State University in 2024.