NCAA Approves Gallaudet’s Use of a Helmet for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Players This Season

A helmet designed by Gallaudet University and AT&T has been approved for use by the NCAA. Approval for the helmet in Division III college football comes at nearly the same time as audio helmet communication (coach to player) went into effect for Division I teams.  

The technology, which debuted last year, allows a coach to call a play on a tablet from the sideline that then shows up visually on a small display screen inside the quarterback’s helmet.

Chuck Goldstein, Gallaudet’s head football coach, reported to the Associate Press (AP), “We are trying to figure out ways to level the playing field for our guys.” Last season, Gallaudet only used the helmet for one game. Coach Goldstein continued, “As we go forward, we’re learning a lot about different hiccups and things that are coming down that we weren’t aware of last year.”

AT&T chief marketing and growth officer Kellyn Kenny said getting the helmet on the field last year was a huge moment of pride, and this is a major step forward. He said, “We not only get to celebrate another history making milestone, but we have the opportunity to further collaborate and innovate on ways to drive meaningful change toward making sports more inclusive for everyone.”

Reference

Whyno S. (2024) NCAA approves Gallaudet’s use of a helmet for deaf and hard of hearing players this season. AP News (accessed September 20, 2024).