Jamal Adams Bio
Jamal Lee Adams is an American professional football linebacker and safety for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Born on October 17, 1995, in Lewisville, Texas, Adams first rose to national attention as a hard-hitting defensive standout at LSU before being selected sixth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. Across his career, he has earned three Pro Bowl selections, one First-team All-Pro nod, and two Second-team All-Pro honors.
Known for his aggressive tackling and pass-rushing ability from the secondary, Adams has been one of the most polarizing defensive players of his era. He has suited up for the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, and Detroit Lions, and is currently re-uniting with head coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas after being converted to linebacker.
Early Life and Background
Jamal Lee Adams was born on October 17, 1995, in Lewisville, Texas, and grew up in a household deeply shaped by football. He is the son of George Adams and Michelle Adams, and his father played running back in the NFL from 1985 to 1991, giving young Jamal an early window into life at the highest level of the sport.
Adams attended Hebron High School in Carrollton, Texas, where he starred on both sides of the ball. During his final two prep seasons, he racked up 138 tackles and seven interceptions on defense while adding 20 touchdowns on offense. In his senior year, Hebron went 8–4 and reached the UIL 5A Division II Area final at AT&T Stadium, falling 42–21 to Cedar Hill.
Rated as a five-star recruit and ranked among the top 10 players in his class by Scout.com, Adams drew attention from elite college programs nationwide. He ultimately committed to Louisiana State University (LSU), where his physical, downhill style immediately translated to the SEC stage.
Path to American Football
Adams enrolled at LSU in 2014 and wasted no time making an impact. As a true freshman, he played in all 13 games with two starts, recording 66 tackles and a sack. By his sophomore year, he had earned Second-team All-SEC recognition from both the Associated Press and the SEC coaches.
As a junior, Adams was elevated to First-team All-SEC and emerged as one of the most complete safeties in college football. On January 6, 2017, he announced he would forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. He was projected as a first-round pick by analysts at Sports Illustrated, DraftScout.com, Pro Football Focus, and ESPN, all of whom ranked him as the top safety in his class. At LSU’s pro day on May 4, 2017, Adams ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash and cemented his status as a top-six selection.
Jamal Adams Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
The New York Jets selected Adams in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2017 NFL Draft, making him the first safety taken that year. On July 20, 2017, the Jets signed him to a fully guaranteed four-year, $22.25 million contract that included a $14.32 million signing bonus. Head coach Todd Bowles named Adams the starting strong safety alongside fellow rookie Marcus Maye.
Adams made an immediate impression, finishing his rookie season with 83 combined tackles, six pass deflections, and two sacks in 16 starts, earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. As a team captain in 2018, he posted 115 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception, earning his first Pro Bowl nod and Second-team AP All-Pro recognition along with the Curtis Martin Team MVP award.
New York Jets Breakthrough (2019)
In 2019, Adams elevated his game into elite territory. He recorded a 61-yard pick six off Jarrett Stidham, posted a career-high three sacks against Washington, and forced a fumble he returned 25 yards for a touchdown against the New York Giants, a performance that earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week. He finished the season as a Pro Bowl selection for the second consecutive year and captured his first First-team AP All-Pro honor, plus a second straight Curtis Martin Team MVP award.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2020–2023)
On July 25, 2020, the Jets traded Adams, along with a 2022 fourth-round pick, to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for safety Bradley McDougald and multiple draft selections. Adams wasted little time justifying the price, leading the Seahawks with 12 tackles in his Week 1 debut against Atlanta and sacking Matt Ryan in a 38–25 win.
During the 2020 season, Adams shattered the NFL record for most sacks by a defensive back, finishing with 9.5 sacks, including 1.5 against Josh Allen and two on Jared Goff. He was named to his third straight Pro Bowl, teaming with Quandre Diggs as the first safety tandem to make the Pro Bowl together since Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor in 2015.
On August 17, 2021, Adams signed a four-year extension with Seattle valued at $72 million, including a $20 million signing bonus and $38 million guaranteed, making him the highest paid safety in NFL history at the time. His tenure was interrupted by a torn labrum in 2021 and a torn quad tendon in 2022 that ended his season, and he played in just nine games in 2023 before being released on March 5, 2024.
Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions, and Las Vegas Raiders Era (2024–Present)
On July 11, 2024, Adams signed a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. After missing the season opener with a hip injury and playing only 20 snaps across three games, he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list on October 12. Adams requested his release, which the Titans granted on October 17, 2024.
On December 1, 2024, Adams was signed to the Detroit Lions practice squad. He appeared in two games for Detroit and recorded three tackles before being released on January 1, 2025. On July 22, 2025, Adams signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting with Pete Carroll, his former head coach in Seattle. During training camp, Carroll announced Adams would switch from safety to linebacker.
Driving Style and Strengths
Adams is best known for his physical, downhill playing style, exceptional tackling in the box, and unusual pass-rush instincts for a defensive back. His 9.5 sacks in 2020 illustrated how disruptive he can be as a blitzer, while his vocal leadership has made him a tone-setter in every locker room he has joined.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Adams’s signature moments are his pick six against Jarrett Stidham in 2019, his AFC Defensive Player of the Week performance against the Giants, and his record-setting 2020 sack total. He is also remembered for tackling the Patriots mascot at a 2019 Pro Bowl practice, an incident that captured his fiery competitive edge.
Jamal Adams Career Wins
While defensive backs are rarely defined by wins alone, Jamal Lee Adams has built a resume decorated with individual accolades. He is a three-time Pro Bowl selection, a First-team All-Pro in 2019, a two-time Second-team All-Pro, a First-team All-American in 2016, and a PFWA All-Rookie Team member in 2017.
Professional Highlights
Adams earned First-team All-Pro honors in 2019, Second-team All-Pro nods in 2018 and 2020, and Pro Bowl selections from 2018 through 2020. His 2016 First-team All-American recognition at LSU capped a decorated college career.
Other Honors and Performances
Beyond his All-Pro and Pro Bowl hardware, Adams won the Curtis Martin Team MVP award with the Jets in both 2018 and 2019, an honor given to the team’s most valuable player.
Jamal Adams Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Adams is the son of George Adams and Michelle Adams. His father, George, played running back in the NFL from 1985 to 1991, giving the family a deep football pedigree that helped shape Jamal’s competitive drive.
Personal Life
Adams maintains close ties to his Dallas-area roots and has spoken openly about his admiration for former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin. He is also known as a pescatarian, a dietary choice he has discussed publicly.
2025 Season Performance
Adams enters the 2025 season with the Las Vegas Raiders after signing on July 22, 2025. The move reunites him with head coach Pete Carroll, his former coach in Seattle, and Carroll has announced that Adams will make the full-time switch from safety to linebacker. That position change adds intrigue to how defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will deploy him in the Raiders’ front seven.
After injury-marred stops in Tennessee and Detroit in 2024, Adams is looking to recapture the form that once made him the highest paid safety in NFL history. A full offseason in one scheme, paired with his linebacker conversion, gives him a clear opportunity to reset his market value heading into 2026.
For the Raiders, Adams represents a high-upside veteran addition with Pro Bowl pedigree and a known leadership presence. If he stays healthy and adapts smoothly to his new role, he could emerge as one of the more compelling comeback stories of the 2025 NFL season.