These NFL Players Suffer With Hearing Loss
End of the long road
Battles have been fought and won out on the field over the Super Bowl season and there are finally just two teams standing when it comes down to it on February 3rd. It's an incredible journey to make, but it all hinges on this one game. A famous coach, Don Shula, once said, "Losing a Super Bowl destroys all the good things that happened to get you there." That's the level of pressure out there and that's why it's so exciting to watch.
At SLENT Hearing & Balance Center, we're on the edge of our seats waiting for the final game but in the back of our minds, there's always a thought or two focused on the implications of events like the Super Bowl for our patients.
Determined to make it
It's hard enough to be one of the stars who makes it to the Super Bowl. Peeling away from the competition and hitting the high standards over and over again. Now imagine you have to do that with a hearing loss to take into account. The players below had to do just that. Some people might find this inhibitive, but not these guys. They pushed through, changed their strategies, and made it anyway:
Bonnie Sloan – the pioneer for deaf players, Sloan was the first to play in the NFL in 1973 for the St. Louis Cardinals;
Derrick Coleman – the St. Louis Cardinals turned into the Arizona Cardinals over the years and they signed Coleman in 2018. He has been deaf since the age of three and overcame numerous obstacles to play in the Super Bowl in 2014;
Reed Doughty – this strong safety played the field with a severe hearing loss and achieved seven years with the Washington Redskins including being elected as a special team captain in 2013.
Keep your eyes on the action
Like the players that inspire you, sometimes you have to adapt a little, try a bit harder, and keep your head in the game. If you are living with a hearing loss and you still want to be fully immersed in the Super Bowl action, take steps to ensure you don't acquire any further damage. This might mean you're not getting the full sound experience, so you'll need to keep eagle-eyes on what's going on. Maybe you'll spot things that your fellow watchers miss, so you'll have the upper hand in the post-game analysis.
In-depth support
At SLENT Hearing & Balance, we have the experience and the enthusiasm to ensure you get the most out of the great experiences of American life like the Super Bowl. You can contact us for a hearing assessment and hearing aids in Mandeville, Louisiana as well as a winning strategy for enjoying the big game while protecting your ears.
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