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‘He has a thing for it’: DK Metcalf’s sign language is a ‘hot topic’ in the deaf community

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It’s not just that DK Metcalf is learning American Sign Language and using it nationally; it’s also that, even as a recognizable novice, he does it with a level of finesse that shows he just gets it.

“He has the swag with it. And that is sometimes half the battle with signing,” says Sean Forbes, one of the deaf rappers who barriers broken during the halftime show of the Super Bowl two years ago with Eminem, Snoop Dogg and other hip-hop stars. “You have to have the nuances, the atmosphere, the way your hands move and flow has to be there. … He had the rhythm where most rookie signers would be a little more choppy.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Metcalf introduced a twist on the typical NFL touchdown celebration this season by drawing one-liners in the end zone in recent games against the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys. He joked that the practice could help him avoid fines for nonsense talk, but there is much more to it. In the same way the former All-Pro studies opposing defenses, Metcalf will meet with a coach on Tuesday to hone his signing skills.

The time he puts into it is noticeable. This doesn’t appear to be the work of someone just Googling how to pronounce specific phrases — a familiar situation for any beginning foreign language learner — said Dr. Kim Kurz, a professor at RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

Forbes just wanted to know more about the why and how of it all, and speculated that Metcalf is working with someone to hone his style.

“We all have those questions, but at the same time we’re all like, ‘F— yes!'”

Well, here are the answers.

Metcalf, whose signing first came to light last month, took an ASL summer course in college and started learning the language again early this season. He meets once a week via video call with Darrell Utley, a Tennessee-based instructor Metcalf is connected to through his agency.

Utley said he didn’t know Metcalf was an NFL player when they first started classes. He said in an email that the former Pro Bowler is “a curious and open-minded student” who is “dedicated and committed to learning sign language.”

Metcalf, 25, said he started learning ASL as a way to “exercise his mind” and take it away from football (he previously took acting classes for the same reason and is also pursuing guitar). The potential for trash talk was a secondary thought.

But for the deaf community, it’s more than just the hobby of one popular athlete. For some it’s a cause for celebration, and for others it’s at least a conversation starter.

Kurz, who is deaf, said through an interpreter that Metcalf’s use of sign language has become a “hot topic.”

“Deaf people are, quite frankly, quite tired of others who only want to learn sign language for the sole purpose of learning profanity or swear words,” Kurz explained, noting that Metcalf has not ventured into that area so far. “We would much rather people actually show an interest in learning ASL because they want to communicate with deaf people or learn more about deaf culture and the deaf community.”

Metcalf said he enjoys “just shedding light on the ASL community, the Deaf community, where more people are starting to learn ASL and starting to pay attention to, ‘What’s he going to sign next, or what’s he signing?’ ”

Some have suggested that referees, coaches and other players should simply learn to draw, too, Kurz said. It fits, of course, since football already has sign language roots, including the origin of the herd.

Dr. Joseph Hill, an associate professor at RIT and Black Sign Language researcher, also said that some deaf people are wary “when someone learns a language of a linguistic minority out of self-interest.” That’s because of a long history of hearing people using ASL “for their own benefit” and not for the benefit of the deaf community, Hill wrote in an email.

For that reason, Utley also said it’s important for people interested in learning ASL to gain exposure through Deaf teachers “for authenticity” and to support Deaf businesses.

Forbes finds Metcalf’s ASL singers “simply brilliant” and “not appropriative at all,” though he wondered whether a deaf athlete without Metcalf’s stature would feel qualified to make similar comments. He added: “What he’s doing is really putting our language in the spotlight – and being a bit smart about it.”


DK Metcalf’s first sign language celebration came after a TD against the Rams on Nov. 19. (Photo: Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The first time Metcalf came to grips with the use of ASL, it flew somewhat under the radar. ’44, my son,’ he drew toward Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon after beating him for a touchdown on November 19.

But the second time, when he signed a standing on business statement against the Cowboys last week, things went well.

“The community was just on fire (the second time), everyone is just looking forward to seeing what else he does and what else other footballers do,” Forbes said. “It further shows me and the community at large that sign language is so cool.

“To be able to see that on a mainstream platform, in a professional sports league, speaks volumes.”

Metcalf took the idea of ​​signing “standing on business” from teammate Boye Mafe, a linebacker who also knows ASL. Mafe signs “I love you” to the sky as part of his pregame ritual in honor of his mother, who died in 2018.

The term Metcalf used is an amalgam of cultures, Hill noted — a recently popularized part of African-American vernacular English, which, like ASL, has a unique structure, syntax and grammar distinct from English.

That smooth execution is just “based on his personality,” Utley said, adding that the pair didn’t prepare specifically for the touchdown celebrations. Utley was “surprised” that Metcalf had brought out his new skills on the field when he saw it on the news.

“Everyone has their own style and personality, which comes out when they use sign language,” the instructor added.

Forbes said it’s refreshing to see Metcalf “doing something cool with (ASL) and turning people’s heads” when most people spread it through more traditional means such as teaching and interpreting. The ripple effect is already there finds its way into other sports.

It is also just the latest in a series of steps taken by those involved in football around deaf inclusion. While interpreters during the Super Bowl anthem have been the standard for years, Forbes’ halftime performance alongside fellow Deaf rapper Wawa marked the first ASL performers on the show. Last year, deaf performer Justina Miles signed Rihanna’s hits.

The competition, which partners with the National Association of the Deaf, also recently launched a merchandise line with ASL.

Both Forbes and Kurz characterized the NFL as a leader in inclusion when it comes to the deaf community, but wondered if we could one day see broadcast components like an ASL reporter to take things to the next level.

It would also be a bonus if Metcalf could use his platform to raise awareness and educate people about the importance of learning sign language to communicate with the deaf, Kurz said.

Turns out Metcalf feels the same way.

“I just love that I get to challenge myself to learn something new and just bring light to a community that I didn’t know felt unseen or felt forgotten,” Metcalf said.

What started as a pastime may have briefly turned into a gimmicky realm with the opportunity to talk trash for a player who has racked up some $100,000 in fines for personal on-field behavior. But for Metcalf it remains serious.

“I’m trying, simply put, to learn a new language.”

(Top Photos: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images and Steven Bisig/USA Today)

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