DeSean Jackson, Michael Vick to lead Delaware State and Norfolk State in second HBCU Battle of the Legends clash

The former Philadelphia Eagles teammates-turned-HBCU head coaches are once again bringing both of their schools to the City of Brotherly Love.

Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson are running it back.

The two former NFL players, who now lead the football programs of Norfolk State and Delaware State, respectively, are set to face off for the second straight year in the HBCU Battle of the Legends game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The game, which will take place on Oct. 31, was originally scheduled to be played at Norfolk State’s home stadium before it was moved to Philly.

Delaware State officials announced the game on Tuesday, a year after the inaugural game brought more than 47,000 spectators to the NFL stadium. Jackson’s Hornets defeated Vick’s Spartans 27-20 en route to an 8-4 season, the program’s first winning season on the football field in more than a decade. The game garnered national attention after it was broadcast on ESPNU and both coaches appeared on “Good Morning America” ahead of the game.

“This event became more than a football game,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a statement.

The city is equally important to Jackson and Vick, both of whom starred for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson was one of Vick’s favorite targets during his Comeback Player of the Year season in 2010, a year in which he finished second in MVP voting behind Tom Brady. Jackson played eight seasons with the Eagles across two stints, finishing with over 6,000 yards receiving and 35 touchdowns.

“Coming back to Lincoln Financial Field never gets old for me — this is a place that holds a lot of special memories,” Vick said in a statement. “Last year’s game was a special moment for our program, and to lead our players back onto a field I once called home is something I’ll always cherish.”

He added, “Doing it against Delaware State, led by my former teammate and longtime friend DeSean Jackson, adds another exciting chapter to the matchup. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate the bands, traditions, and pageantry that make HBCU football special.”

Jackson echoed the sentiment during MEAC Media Days earlier this summer.

“Me and Vick, we intended for it to be a classic,” Jackson told HBCU Gameday. “So regardless if we’re not here, regardless of what our futures may bring, it can always be like the DeSean Jackson-Michael Vick HBCU Classic.”

The Eagles’ stadium will host another HBCU football clash that day, as Lincoln University faces Virginia Union in CIAA action.