Could a meeting between Mike Vick and DeSean Jackson in Philadelphia become an annual thing?
The president of one school hopes so.
Delaware State President Tony Allen says the HBCU football showcase, which featured former NFL standouts on opposing sidelines, is likely to return to Philadelphia next year.
In an interview with The Philadelphia Tribune, Allen said the city’s enthusiasm and the event’s success have already prompted commitments from Mayor Cherelle Parker and city officials to host another game at Lincoln Financial Field. Early talks are underway regarding next year’s festivities, he added.
The official attendance for the Oct. 30 nationally televised game was a robust 47,266.
“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.”
“The mayor and her team have already shown tremendous support, and we’re confident we’ll be back in Philadelphia,” Allen told the newspaper.
Allen said the game represented more than just football. “We thought it was a real moment to celebrate two legends and a profound HBCU legacy,” he said. “In a wonderful city, and to do so at the highest elevation for historically Black colleges and universities—we thought that was extraordinarily special.”
Allen credited the event’s success to the collaboration among Delaware State, Norfolk State’s President Javaune Adams-Gaston, and Vick, calling it “tremendous” to see it all come together in Philadelphia.
