Delaware State hired former Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson as head coach on Thursday, becoming the latest HBCU to tap a former NFL star with no college experience to lead its program.

The move comes less than a week after another MEAC school, Norfolk State, hired Virginia Tech legend and former Pro Bowl quarterback Michael Vick as head coach.

“HBCUs have much to be proud of in creating a more representative America. But this story is not just historical. It continues to be written and includes the advancement of HBCU scholars and scholar-athletes in all areas of human endeavor,” Jackson said in a statement. “The opportunity for me to help write another chapter here at DSU is a once-in-a-lifetime moment that aligns with my journey as a young boy who found his way to manhood through mentorship, responsibility, achievement and discipline.

A native of Southern California, Jackson attended high school in Long Beach and attended Cal, where he was an All-American. Most recently, he worked as an assistant coach at a high school in Long Beach.

Jackson played parts of 15 NFL seasons for six teams. His best seasons came with the Eagles, who drafted him in the second round in 2008, and with the Washington Redskins. During his career, he made three Pro Bowls, had five 1,000-yard receiving seasons and averaged 17.6 yards per reception.

Amazon Prime will release a documentary about Jackson’s life this fall.

Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who coached Jackson with the Eagles, said the former player was like a son to him.

“I strongly support his desire to coach Division I football and would base my career on his success at Delaware State University. We are joined at the hip and forever a family. I can’t wait to see where he takes the university and where the university takes him,” Reid said.

Delaware State is coming off a 1-11 season that led to coach Lee Hull being fired after two seasons. He was 2-22 with the Hornets.

“DeSean Jackson is a perfect fit for our institution – he is incredibly competitive, optimistic about the prospects for our collective future and focused on the fundamentals of the institution: students first,” said DSU Athletic Director Tony Tucker.

Former Titans running back Eddie George is in his fourth season as head coach at Tennessee State and Deion Sanders began his college coaching career at Jackson State before moving to Colorado after the 2022 season. George is 24-22 at TSU, including a 9-4 mark in 2024. Sanders led Jackson State to a 27-6 mark in his three seasons with the school.

(Photo of Jackson in 2019: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)