DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick authored several big plays as teammates on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now they’ll write a new chapter as opposing coaches when Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets and Vick’s Norfolk State Spartans meet Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field, the site of some of their biggest moments as NFL players.
The game will be broadcast on ESPNU with a kickoff time of 7 p.m.
Vick was complimentary of Jackson’s run at Delaware State, where the Hornets have won a MEAC game for the first time in three years and are 5-3 overall.
“DeSean is doing a great job. They play together, they believe, they’re united,” Vicks aid of the Hornets. “That was one thing Andy Reid instilled in us as a unit in Philadelphia. We had discipline, we respected the game. They’re showing they’re not the same team from the past.”
Jackson, meanwhile, was focused on getting his team ready to hold onto their share of first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
“Coach Vick is not my friend this week,” Jackson joked. “I love him to death, but this week, he’s on the other side, he’s my opp. We’re locked in on the task at hand and that’s to win a football game.”
Delaware State (5-3, 1-0 MEAC) is coming off of a 35-26 win at North Carolina Central, the program’s biggest win since their last conference championship back in 2007.
Norfolk State (1-7, 0-6 MEAC) has lost six straight games, including a 50-21 loss to South Carolina State for homecoming.
Vick is excited about returning to the field where he won NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2010 and hopes his players understand the importance of Thursday’s game.
“I remember when [Jackson] reached out to me about it, I was skeptical because I didn’t know if it could happen. He stayed on top of it, we kept connecting with the right people,” Vick said of the process of getting the game to the Linc. “I want our guys to know that this is something that doesn’t normally happen. To play in an NFL stadium with a great crowd on national TV, it’s a great honor. It’s on a big stage; it’s a big opportunity for both us and Delaware State.”
Jackson agreed.
“It’s going to be a hostile environment for those three hours,” he said. “Hopefully there’s more Delaware State fans than Norfolk State fans since it’s our home game, but afterwards I’m going to give him a hug; win, lose or draw. ”
