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For the Tampa and Atlanta road games, he was alone in Charlotte with his monitor, meaning for some of his early reps, the former NFL safety was figuratively on an island.


Now that Coleman has some games in, he can settle in behind his All-22 monitor and break down plays for Mixon the same way he watched tape as a player. So Coleman can point out that on Jones' long run, the Panthers had eight men in the box, one player fell out of his gap, and that left plenty of room to run.


"This part is kind of my wheelhouse," Coleman said. "I know the game of football, so talking about what I see, in terms of coverages and formations, that's what I do."


The Xs and Os of the game come easy for Coleman, but fitting into a broadcast with people who have a background together is a little tougher. Knowing when to chime in requires active listening, which is hard enough for regular people in regular life.


"That's sort of what we all aspire to, isn't it?" Coleman said. "It's not just saying what you have to say. It's listening to others, picking up on what they're telling you, and responding. It's the art of conversation, to not just hearing, but listening to what someone has to say."


Sometimes, the rookie also needs a little coaching, and he gets it from a familiar source.


Coleman laughed and recalled a text from his wife during one of his first games, gently telling him he was talking too fast, to settle down and speak more slowly. She might not have said it quite like that.


"Yeah, she texted me," Coleman said. "As a football player, you're used to instant feedback from coaches. So she's been a great resource for me, as someone who hears me on a regular basis.


"For me, getting a feel for the timing of the game, how to get my thoughts in before the next play, and making that mesh with Mick and Jim and Kristen is something we're still working on, but they've been so helpful to me."


And like any team in 2020, it takes some getting used to doing business in a new way. The goal is that when it comes through your speakers, it takes you there with them. Even if neither of you happen to be there.


Photos by Callena Williams