Former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been hired as the new football coach at Delaware State, the school announced Friday.

“The opportunity for me to write another chapter here at DSU is a once-in-a-lifetime moment consistent with my journey as a young boy finding his path to manhood through mentorship, responsibility, achievement and discipline,” Jackson said in a statement. “If we build a culture like this at Delaware State University, we will attract the right talent and radically change the trajectory of this program. I can’t wait to get started.”

Jackson is the second former NFL star to be hired by a MEAC school this month, joining Norfolk State’s Michael Vick.

A source told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that it had always been a dream of Jackson’s to coach at a historically black college or university. Jackson noted that importance in his statement, saying that the history of HBCUs “continues to be written and includes the advancement of HBCU scholars and scholar-athletes in all areas of human endeavor.”

Jackson will be introduced in a press conference on January 8th. He is the first new hire from sporting director Tony Tucker, who took on the role earlier this month.

“DeSean Jackson is a perfect fit for our institution – he is incredibly competitive, optimistic about the prospects for our shared future and focused on the fundamentals of the institution: STUDENTS FIRST,” Tucker said in a statement.

Jackson, 38, replaces Lee Hull, who was fired earlier this month after two disappointing seasons, including a 1-11 performance this year.

The Hornets haven’t had a winning season since going 6-5 in 2012.

Jackson, who retired as a member of the Eagles after the 2023 season, made the Pro Bowl in three of his eight seasons with the team. He became the first player in NFL history to earn Pro Bowl honors at two positions – kick returner and wide receiver. He played a total of 15 seasons and had stints with the Los Angeles Rams, Washington, Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Las Vegas. However, he is best known for his six years in Philadelphia early in his professional career.

Jackson’s former coaches Andy Reid and Sean McVay praised his attitude. Reid said he would “base my career on his success at Delaware State.”

In 95 career games with the Eagles, Jackson ranked third all-time in receiving yards (6,512), sixth in receptions (379) and ninth in receiving touchdowns (35). As a punt returner, he finished second in punt returns (132), third in punt return yards (1,296) and is tied for the team all-time lead in punt return touchdowns with four.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.