NFL hopeful KC Concepcion received a groundswell of online support after a nervous exchange with reporters at the scouting combine in Indianapolis this week.
Growing up with a stutter in Rochester, New York, the Texas A&M receiver was the target of bullies until years of speech classes and his own hard work helped him to manage the problem.
So, when he stammered a bit while discussing his chances of playing for the Buffalo Bills, his father’s favorite team, sympathetic fans quickly drowned out a few heartless critics.
‘You could tell he was nervous, but man I’m happy to see him out there representing the 585!’ one supporter wrote online, referring to Rochester’s area code.
Another fan loved Concepcion’s ‘heart, character and game’ and congratulated the 21-year-old for pushing himself to speak publicly.
‘That young man is awesome, keep talking, we are listening and you have our full support,’ one supporter added on X.
NFL hopeful KC Concepcion has spoken openly about his lifelong battle with his stutter
The 6ft receiver is coming off a productive season in College Station, where he finished with 919 yards and nine touchdowns on 61 receptions.
It was during his final year with the Aggies that Concepcion opened up about his lifelong speech issues, which he continues to correct.
‘I’m really still kind of getting comfortable with it,’ he told The Associated Press in September.
‘It kind of used to be really, really bad when I was a kid,’ he said. ‘But, you know, just taking my little speech classes here and there, I really didn’t like going to them because I kind of felt like I was a little weird. … Just being taught how to try to like speak fluently and not stutter or anything.’
Concepcion’s father, a Bills fan named Kevin, also had stuttering issues, which became something that helped the two bond together.
‘As a little kid, it’s kind of tough having kids pick on you for your talking,’ he said. ‘Just seeing him deal with it also it helped me out, you feel me. And it made me feel like I wasn’t the only one.’
The 6ft receiver is coming off a productive season in College Station, where he finished with 919 yards and nine touchdowns on 61 receptions
The Rochester native recently interviewed with his dad’s favorite team: The Buffalo Bills
Concepcion ultimately quit his speech classes and instead pressured himself to speak publicly – something he compared to practice reps.
As he told the AP, ‘It’s literally just exactly like football.’
Speech issues aside, Concepcion is ready to make an impact in the NFL, and confirmed a meeting with the Bills this week that he said ‘went really well.’
Of all the praise Concepcion has received on his NFL journey, Aggies coach Mike Elko may be his top reference.
‘He’s got a tremendous work ethic,’ Elko told the AP of Concepcion. ‘I really enjoy the way he competes day in and day out, that really showed itself in the off-season as well.
‘So, there’s a maturity about him that I really like. He wants to be great and that shows every day, which is a really cool characteristic in a kid. And I think he’s a kid that rises to moments.’