There is a buzz going around about deaf NFL player Derrick Coleman, who currently plays for the Seattle Seahawks. Featured in the Duracell batteries commercial above, he has a truly inspiring story about not letting his limitations determine his dreams. Even after going undrafted, he stuck with it and got picked up by the Seahawks.
Here are two deaf NFL players that also played in the NFL.
1. Bonnie Sloan
Sloan was the first of the three deaf NFL players. He played for the 1973 Arizona Cardinals, but only played four games. The Cardinals had to release him because of a knee injury.
2. Kenny Walker
Walker played as a defensive lineman for the Denver Broncos in the early 90’s. He played the whole season in 1991 and started in most of the games the following year. He had a short career because he was let go after that. When in college at the University of Nebraska the crowd showed their appreciation for him by signing “applause” to him.
Three NFL players who didn’t let their limitations effect their life. They had a dream and they went for it. Its inspiring to see people who were probably told that they couldn’t accomplish anything step up and show everyone that they could. Even with all the road blocks thrown in front of them, they kept pushing through. That shows motivation, determination, and perseverance that we can all learn from.
