Pro Football Player Tackles NFL With Hearing Loss And Scores!

Derrick Coleman, Fullback, NFL

I have to admit … it's much harder to stay focused on work during football season than any other time of the year.

Whether High School, College or Pro, I love it all!

Being an "accessibility guy”, I can’t help but notice when stories involving disabilities or accessibility are mentioned in the news or on TV.

Just recently, during the opening exhibition game between the San Diego Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks, last, a young deaf player scored on a 6-yard reception against the Chargers.

That's right … someone who is deaf plays in the NFL!  This is a great success story!

Playing for the Seattle Seahawks, Derrick Coleman has been essentially deaf since age three. The former UCLA running back has never used his disability as an excuse as he creates a name for himself in the world of big league football.

Coleman stated that his hearing began to mysteriously disappear as a young child and that he and his parents had no idea why. Assisted by hearing aids and an uncanny ability to read lips, Coleman has adapted to the point that many who meet him do not realize he is deaf unless they are told.

One would think that not being able to hear completely would create real issues playing sports, but not for Coleman. He began playing football in the seventh grade and learned to work with the quarterbacks and other teammates to read their lips, and having them repeat a play if he was unclear.  Key for Coleman is keeping his eye on the center snap to know when the play begins.

When Coleman first started playing, his hearing aids would sometimes pop out.  Today, he wears two skullcaps to make sure they stay in place.  And to ensure he's fully prepped, he replaces his hearing-aid batteries just before kick off so they don’t run out during the game.

Coleman plays his usual position as tailback and fullback as well as numerous special teams.

Widely recruited out of Troy High in Fullerton, Calif., he played four years at UCLA where he gained 1,780 yards and also earned second team All-Pac-12 honors as a senior as a special teams performer. His official UCLA bio made no mention of his hearing issues other than the simple notation near the bottom that he “can read lips.’’

Derrick Coleman is a perfect example of a person who embodies a “no excuses” attitude — something we could use more of in today's society.

I hope this talented young man has a fantastic year and continues to encourage other disabled folks of all ages to push forward — never allowing their disability to limit them.