{
  "id": 18942777,
  "title": "Mike Vick, Norfolk State lose after his order was ignored",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/mike-vick-norfolk-state-lose-after-his-order-was-ignored",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-08T13:19:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mike-vick-norfolk-state-lose-131931889.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mike Vick, a former NFL player turned college football coach at Norfolk State, faced criticism after his team lost a crucial game due to his order being ignored. With less than 15 seconds left on the clock, Norfolk State was leading 28-23, and faced second and five from the 50-yard line. North Carolina Central had no timeouts remaining. Prior to the game, Vick had instructed the offense to take a knee in victory formation, signaling a punt with under 15 seconds remaining. However, Norfolk State opted to line up in shotgun formation, with the quarterback running to the left and subsequently fumbling. North Carolina Central recovered the ball and scored a touchdown. The game ended with North Carolina State winning 29-28.\n\nIn an interview, Vick admitted that he was unaware of the subsequent events and claimed he had given the order to take a knee. However, it was later revealed that offensive coordinator Brian Sheppard decided to disregard Vick's directive. A postgame video shows coaches discussing the situation while Vick appears nonchalant, suggesting he may have been unaware of the change in plans. Vick's failure to properly follow through with his directive has raised questions about his leadership and communication skills.",
  "summary": "Like a growing number of former NFL players, Mike Vick has become a college football coach.",
  "key_points": [
    "Mike Vick, former NFL player, coached Norfolk State",
    "Norfolk State lost game due to ignored order",
    "Offensive coordinator disregarded Vick's directive"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}