Social Media Celebrates Norfolk State Hiring Michael Vick While PETA Criticizes

PETA, the largest animal rights group, isn’t pleased with Norfolk State University’s decision to hire former NFL pro Michael Vick as head coach of the football team, but social media users are celebrating, HBCU Sports reported. 

The HBCU hired the former Atlanta Falcons star to lead its program to potential higher heights after a disappointing 4-8 season. In a statement from PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, she pushed back against the school’s decision, while reminiscing on her experience with the retired athlete during his 2007 sentencing for participating in illegal dog fighting. “After interviewing him at PETA’s office in Norfolk, Virginia

anner ampforwp-incontent-ad1"> while his sentence was under consideration, and hearing him tell me bold-faced lies about his poor dogs, I came to believe that he’s a charming, charismatic, psychopath, but since I believe he won’t fight dogs ever again, PETA is focusing on working with law enforcement to bust those who still do,” Ingrid said. 

His legal troubles resulted in Vick being sentenced to 21 months in federal prison before making a return to the NFL, going on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers prior to retiring in 2017. Since then, the former quarterback has become an ally for animal rights, speaking out against dogfighting in collaboration with the Humane Society and advocating for penalties against people who willingly participate as onlookers of illegal animal fights. However, in 2009, PETA published a blog called “The Day I Spent With Michael Vick,” expressing skepticism about his intention to become an “ally,” according to Fox News.

But football fans on social media support Norfolk’s decision. Some are excited about what the appointment will bring to the HBCU, including Vick’s former high school coach, Tommy Reamon, who said his phone has been ringing off the hook with anticipation of the upcoming season. “I’ve had 11 coaches call me in the last 72 hours and they all want a job and or they don’t want to play Norfolk State,” Reamon said. 

“That’s nice because of Michael Vick.”

Dr. Sandi Hutchinson, who says she serves on Norfolk’s Board for the Athletic Foundation, said she has received a plethora of calls asking for football season tickets, looking at a possible increase in sales. “We may have to put chairs down aisles like church for the overflow,” she wrote on X. 

User @southside_gunn said the decorated athlete has done more than paid his debt to society. “Michael Vick has done more than pay his debt to society… He has done countless efforts to atone for all his f*** ups,” he wrote. 

“There are legit people who have done much worse and don’t even get the consistent hate, and we ALL know why.”

@sweetpea1636 shared similar thoughts, saying, “We all deserve a second chance.”