10 Things to Know About Derrick Coleman

Facts about the NFL’s first legally deaf offensive player.

Derrick Coleman Seattle Seahawks Man to Watch - Seattle Seahawks running back Derrick Coleman just marked his second year in the NFL and he is already becoming a household name. The first legally deaf offensive lineman in NFL history, Coleman has not let his disability interfere with his goals. Here are 10 things you may not know about the Seahawks rising star. — Dominique Zonyéé (@DominiqueZonyee)(Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

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Derrick Coleman Seattle Seahawks Man to Watch - Seattle Seahawks running back Derrick Coleman just marked his second year in the NFL and he is already becoming a household name. The first legally deaf offensive lineman in NFL history, Coleman has not let his disability interfere with his goals. Here are 10 things you may not know about the Seahawks rising star. — Dominique Zonyéé (@DominiqueZonyee)(Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Seeing Sounds - When he was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of three, he began adapting to his hearing loss by learning to communicate in different ways.(Photo: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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Seeing Sounds - When he was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of three, he began adapting to his hearing loss by learning to communicate in different ways.(Photo: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Read My Lips - Coleman does not use sign language, but relies on lip reading on and off the field to communicate. “My freshman year at Oregon, it got so loud that I literally turned off my hearing aids," Coleman told ESPN in 2011. "I didn't move until the ball was snapped and then I just read our quarterback Kevin Craft's lips. The only thing I didn't hear was the whistle.”(Photo: UCLA/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)

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Read My Lips - Coleman does not use sign language, but relies on lip reading on and off the field to communicate. “My freshman year at Oregon, it got so loud that I literally turned off my hearing aids," Coleman told ESPN in 2011. "I didn't move until the ball was snapped and then I just read our quarterback Kevin Craft's lips. The only thing I didn't hear was the whistle.”(Photo: UCLA/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)

Determined to Ball - Regardless of being teased by children who called him “four ears,” Coleman was determined to ball. He would often play football with his hearing aids, which fell out a lot during the game. But his mother May Hamlin found a way to protect them. "I took a pair of my pantyhose and I cut the pantyhose and tied the top of it,” Hamlin told CBS.(Photo: Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

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Determined to Ball - Regardless of being teased by children who called him “four ears,” Coleman was determined to ball. He would often play football with his hearing aids, which fell out a lot during the game. But his mother May Hamlin found a way to protect them. "I took a pair of my pantyhose and I cut the pantyhose and tied the top of it,” Hamlin told CBS.(Photo: Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

Undrafted - Coleman’s childhood love for the game carried throughout high school in California and to college as he was a star player for UCLA. Coleman graduated with a degree in political science and decided to try out for the NFL. But despite rushing for 1,700 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns, he wasn't drafted, according to CBS.(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Undrafted - Coleman’s childhood love for the game carried throughout high school in California and to college as he was a star player for UCLA. Coleman graduated with a degree in political science and decided to try out for the NFL. But despite rushing for 1,700 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns, he wasn't drafted, according to CBS.(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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NFL Debut - Although he wasn’t one of the 253 players drafted in 2012, Coleman made the practice squad of the Minnesota Vikings.(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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NFL Debut - Although he wasn’t one of the 253 players drafted in 2012, Coleman made the practice squad of the Minnesota Vikings.(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Seattle Seahawks First Game - He then moved to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad and was offered a spot on the Seahawks in December 2012 by coach Pete Carroll. He was selected mostly for blocking and special teams. He played in 12 games this season.(Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)

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Seattle Seahawks First Game - He then moved to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad and was offered a spot on the Seahawks in December 2012 by coach Pete Carroll. He was selected mostly for blocking and special teams. He played in 12 games this season.(Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Harry How/Getty Images

First NFL Touch Down - Coleman scored his first NFL touchdown on Dec. 2, 2013, during a Monday Night Football  game against the New Orleans Saints, off of a ricochet ball from Kellen Davis.(Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

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First NFL Touch Down - Coleman scored his first NFL touchdown on Dec. 2, 2013, during a Monday Night Football  game against the New Orleans Saints, off of a ricochet ball from Kellen Davis.(Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Internet Sensation - Coleman uses batteries for his hearing aids, which give him hearing on a scale of 7 or 8 out of 10, compared to the 1 or 2 he has without them. He teamed up with Duracell in January for the “Trust Your Power" commercial, which has been viewed more than 5.5 million times in less than a week. (Photo: Duracell)

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Internet Sensation - Coleman uses batteries for his hearing aids, which give him hearing on a scale of 7 or 8 out of 10, compared to the 1 or 2 he has without them. He teamed up with Duracell in January for the “Trust Your Power" commercial, which has been viewed more than 5.5 million times in less than a week. (Photo: Duracell)

An Inspiration for All - He told CBS that he doesn’t rely on his disability “as an excuse” and has been noted by coaches as a “role model.” “I've seen Derrick talk to kids before that have the same kind of issues ... and he's an extraordinary model,” Seahawks coach Carroll told CBS. “And he's got a great message."(Photo: The Morning via CBS)

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An Inspiration for All - He told CBS that he doesn’t rely on his disability “as an excuse” and has been noted by coaches as a “role model.” “I've seen Derrick talk to kids before that have the same kind of issues ... and he's an extraordinary model,” Seahawks coach Carroll told CBS. “And he's got a great message."(Photo: The Morning via CBS)

Seahawks Star Derrick Coleman Inspires Hearing-Impaired Girl - Derrick Coleman inspired the nation with his viral Duracell battery commercial, which highlighted his hearing impairment. But his challenges as the first legally deaf offensive player in NFL history touched one 9-year-old hearing-impaired girl in particular. She wrote a letter to Coleman and he took time out of his Super Bowl prep to write back to his fan. (Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

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Lombardi Trophy on the Line - Coleman will play in his 13th professional game on Saturday against the San Francisco 49ers. Although he said he has a long road ahead of him regarding his future in the NFL, possibly “touching” a Vince Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl XLVIII is a great start.(Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)