The Eagles may be saying goodbye, but two Birds alums will be at Lincoln Financial Field this week for Thursday's game between Delaware State and Norfolk State.
DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick spent five seasons together in Philadelphia and will clash for the first time as college football head coaches in the stadium they once called home. Here's everything you need to know about the former Birds' primetime matchup:
Delaware State and Norfolk State will face off Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field at 7 p.m.
Thursday's game will be the first to feature two historically black colleges or universities at Lincoln Financial Field and the first matchup between two former Eagles standout head coaches.
The game, a home game for Delaware State, was originally scheduled to be played in Dover, Delaware, but was moved to Lincoln Stadium after Jackson pushed for the game to be played on a larger stage. Since the coaches are all former Eagles, the Birds' home venue was a natural choice, and the team made it happen.
“Now standing on this platform, looking at the Links, coming to where we practice every day, where we battle together, and now that we can get in there, we're going to have a night that we'll look back on for years to come,” Vick said in August. “… It’s all come full circle and I’m very proud to be here with my brother now.”
» READ MORE: Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson say they wouldn't coach without Hawks greats Andy Reid and Dom
What channels and streaming services is the game on?
The game will be televised by ESPNU and Tiffany Greene and Jay Walker will be on the call. It will also be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster's primary market for as low as $35.90. They can also be purchased on resale sites.
Deion Sanders started a trend of former NFL players coaching at HBCUs when he accepted the head coaching job at Jackson State University. Sanders recruited top prospect future Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter to follow him and won two Southwestern Athletic Conference championships in three seasons before heading to Colorado.
“Without Deion's success, our success wouldn't be in front of us,” Jackson said earlier this year.
Philadelphia-born Eddie George, a Heisman Trophy winner and four-time Pro Bowl running back, coached at Tennessee for four seasons before heading to Bowling Green this year. Now, Vick and Jackson are the latest former NFL stars to begin their coaching careers at HBCUs.
» READ MORE: Michael Vick talks coaching, wanting to be Andy Reid and getting career advice from Deion Sanders
Former Eagles stars DeSean Jackson (left) and Michael Vick visit training camp before their first games as college coaches this summer. Read more
How are Vick and Jackson doing in their first years as coaches?
Jackson's Delaware State Hornets are 5-3 and 1-0 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play. They haven't won since 2012 and are 2-21 over the past two seasons. Vick's Norfolk State team is 1-7 (0-1 MEAC).
HBCUs are known for their electronic marching bands, and Delaware State University is no exception. Its band, The Approaching Storm, will perform at halftime. The band plays a variety of music, from old school classics to modern hip-hop and R&B hits.
On Thursday, the two schools will jointly host an “energetic pre-game experience” with band, marching performances and other activities.
Delaware State's quarterback is Kaiden Bennett, who threw for 945 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. The Hornets' leading rusher, Marquis Gillis, has rushed 124 times for 831 yards and seven touchdowns.
Norfolk State quarterback Otto Kuhns passed for 1,585 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. His favorite target is receiver Kam'Ryn Thomas, who leads the team with 33 catches for 512 yards and a touchdown.
» READ MORE: DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick are taking parallel paths as they adjust to being head coaches in the MEAC