Vikings Rookie RB Derrick Coleman Says Hearing Loss Won't Hamper Him

Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Derrick Coleman is determined not to let severe hearing loss hamper his NFL career. Coleman is not completely deaf, but he suffers from hearing loss that began when he was 3 years old. He can reads lips, but he also wears hearing aids to distinguish words. During games, Coleman wears two skull caps under his helmet to keep his hearing aids dry and in place. Looking forward to training camp, Coleman believes he will stick in the NFL as an undrafted free agent from UCLA. Coleman ran for 765 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. “It doesn’t affect me that much anymore,’’ Coleman told Scout.com about his hearing issue. “I sat down with the coaches and players in the quarterback room and let them know, ‘Whenever we change the play, you already say it twice, just turn around one time and say it one more time. It don’t hurt nobody.’ ” Vikings running backs coach James Saxon has been impressed. “I can’t say enough about how bright the kid is,” Saxon told Scout.com. “He takes meticulous notes. He asks the right questions. “He’s got a hearing issue. So that in itself is what it is. To me, I don’t see that. All I see is a young, hungry guy who wants to try and come help this football team be better.”

Source: Sporting News
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