Posted on 01/16/2014 7:26:54 AM PST by doug from upland
NOTE: it is OK to be a Niner fan and still be inspired by this guy
Coleman is essentially deaf. He's been that way since being diagnosed with a genetic and incurable hearing impairment as a toddler.
The disability could have stopped Coleman. Instead, he adapted, starring as a running back in high school and at UCLA before catching on as fullback with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. The team was confident enough in Coleman's abilities to cut starting fullback Michael Robinson during training camp.
Robinson was later brought back, but Coleman has retained a role on offense and special teams.
Coleman wears a hearing aide in each ear and relies heavily on lip-reading to communicate. When Around The League spoke to him on the telephone Thursday, we asked how his disability makes the game different for him.
"I don't move until the ball moves," said Coleman, the first deaf player in NFL history to play offense. "The biggest challenge is that I have to be extra focused on what the quarterback says. I have to read his lips and I can't be shy if I didn't hear it to grab him and say, 'Hey, roll the play again.' All those little things I don't even recognize it anymore. I just have to work a little harder."
Surely he was "essentially deaf" before being diagnosed, as well. His family just didn't know why he was deaf.
A deaf student at Gallaudet invented the (American) football huddle .
Thanks for adding that info to the thread. Can you please post a link to the source?
among others....
My wife just showed me the Duracell commercial the other day. Really great to see.
They showed the ad on Greta last night; and Greta and the panel (3-4 - don’t recall the #) said how inspiring he is. Greta said she doesn’t know anything about the Seahawks but she hopes they win Sunday (because of him). A couple of others chimed in - Go Seahawks!
I hope my team wins, too :-)
GO SEAHAWKS!!
A young man worked for me 40 years ago that had also been deaf since 3 from rheumatic fever.
6’ 2”, 225 lbs, 30” waist - he had been middle linebacker for the Univ. of Delaware. Not hearing actually was a blessing as he too only moved when the ball moved.......
He is now a very successful business owner with a business he started in New Hampshire....with a wonderful family........
Good story. Thanks for sharing it.
What an inspiring video! I really loved it when he said, “I’ve been deaf since I was 3 so I didn’t hear them”. I just find it so inspirational when someone (despite being told no over and over) pushes on and succeeds. Good for him and I wish him the absolute best of luck!
bflr
“All those little things I don’t even recognize it anymore. I just have to work a little harder.”
I love the attitude. I don’t have any preferences for the outcomes this weekend, so maybe this will give me a reason to pull for the Seahawks. However, I am having difficulty getting past the Seattle “proud socialist” lady.....
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