The blog entry above lists stories of NFL players that overcame the odds to make it to the big leagues. I enjoyed reading the article because I was familiar with four of the players but I never heard about Vince Papale until I this read this entry. If his goal was to pick five inspirational stories that are the most memorable, I think that Matt Loede missed two very notable stories.
Dez Bryant
Desmond Bryant was born to a single mother of three in a poor neighborhood in Texas. His mother sold crack to make a living and Dez was forced to sleep on the floor because there were nights where fifteen people slept in the same duplex. At night growing up, his mother had to lock the fridge so that no one ate from it. He states that he grew up eating potato chips and peanut butter. When it came time to sign up for football, the coaches told him that it wouldn't be cheap and that he had to buy his own equipment. Des certainly could not afford equipment but on his way home he saw an abandoned trailer and stole football pads. Once he found something to do he worked hard at it and was able to land himself an athletic scholarship so that he could attend college and later finds himself as a 3 time pro-bowl wide receiver earning $13 million dollars a year.
Derrick Coleman
Derrick Coleman was born with a genetic disease that caused him to lose his hearing. Growing up he was often bullied for having hearing aids and was called "four ears" by the neighborhood kids. Derrick begged his mother to let him play football since she was worried it would further damage his hearing. She finally allowed him to play only if he wore something under his helmet that ensured that his hearing aids would not be damaged. Communication is the foundation for a football team to succeed and many were afraid that Derrick would not be able to take his talents to the field. Coleman realized that he could read the quarterbacks lips in the huddle to get the play call. He finally got his chance in the NFL after having a standout senior year at UCLA. The Seahawks staff worked hard with Derrick Coleman to get him ready to compete on the highest level. Coleman would eventually get a starting role as fullback and helped his team win a superbowl in 2014.
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