Hey, Internet! It’s me Keith, your favorite deaf, perpetually-joking blogger, with a disability here to drop some reality on you today. People often ask me, “Since you are a deaf person and also have a disability, how do you handle basic life stuff?” My answer is usually, “I do it just like Jim Abbott handled throwing a no-hitter with one hand: like a boss.”
It’s time to celebrate the professional athletes who looked at “impossible” and said, “Hold my Gatorade.” They didn’t just play in the big leagues; they became legends. We are talking about people who stood shoulder to shoulder with the best of the best in the NFL, MLB, and NHL. They didn’t overcome their disability; they simply excelled with it.
Here are the details on my favorite heroes. Get ready to cheer!
Pro Football Players Defying the Odds
When you hear the roar of the crowd, it’s hard to imagine being deaf on the field. But guess what? These guys mastered the noise.
- Shaquem Griffin, Linebacker (NFL): This guy is my idol. Shaquem is a person who had his left hand amputated because of Amniotic Band Syndrome. Did that stop him from playing linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks? Nope. He was drafted in 2018 and played until 2021, showing the league that a missing hand means nothing when you have that much talent.
- Derrick Coleman, Fullback (NFL): Derrick is a deaf person who played for the Seahawks during their Super Bowl run. He used hearing aids and his amazing ability to lip read to succeed. He was the first legally deaf person to play offense in the league and was active from 2012 to 2017.
- Tom Dempsey, Placekicker (NFL): Talk about legendary. Tom was a person with a limb difference who was born with only half of his right foot and no fingers on his right hand. He wore a special shoe and set an NFL record in 1970 with a 63-yard field goal. That record stood for decades!
Pitching and Hitting with Heart in the MLB
Baseball requires insane precision and coordination. These athletes had both, and then some.
- Jim Abbott, Pitcher (MLB): Jim is a person born without a right hand. He threw a no-hitter for the Yankees on September 4, 1993. Seriously. A no-hitter. He played from 1989 to 1999, proving that adaptability beats anatomy every single time.
- William “Dummy” Hoy, Center Fielder (MLB): A true pioneer, William was a deaf person who played from 1888 to 1902. Legend has it he helped develop the hand signals that umpires still use today for “safe” and “out.” Think about that: He changed baseball forever!
Basketball and Hockey Legends
Because the ice and the court deserve some love, too.
- Tamika Catchings, Forward (WNBA): A WNBA champion and Hall of Famer. Tamika is a person who is hard-of-hearing, and she didn’t let that stop her from becoming one of the best to ever play the game for the Indiana Fever. She played from 2001 to 2016.
- Jim Kyte, Defenseman (NHL): Jim was the first legally deaf person to play in the National Hockey League. He played over 500 games between 1983 and 1997. Imagine hearing zero pucks coming but still shutting down the offensive line. Unstoppable.
Shut Up and Open the Door. Now.
These stories aren’t inspirational porn. They are evidence. They prove that exceptional talent, drive, and dedication have nothing to do with having two working hands or 100% hearing.
So, here’s your call to action, people:
Stop using “accommodations” as an excuse to limit potential.
We don’t need pats on the head. We need organizations, schools, leagues, and businesses to look at people who are deaf or have a disability and ask: How can we redesign this system to maximize their genius?
Stop telling people what they can’t do because of a perceived barrier. Start tearing down the actual barriers.
If you agree, SHARE this post and tag a league or organization that needs to be held accountable for opening more doors.
