Sam Adams (American football)

Sam Adams
No. 98, 95, 65
Position: Defensive tackle
Personal information
Date of birth: (1973-06-13) June 13, 1973
Place of birth: Houston, Texas
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight: 350 lb (159 kg)
Career information
High school: Houston (TX) Cypress Creek
College: Texas A&M
NFL Draft: 1994 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played: 206
Games started: 177
Tackles: 401
Quarterback sacks: 44
Forced fumbles: 5
Interceptions: 3
Player stats at NFL.com

Sam Adams (born June 13, 1973) is a former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football at Texas A&M University, and earned All-American honors. He was originally drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft, and he also played professionally for the Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos of the NFL. Adams was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time All-Pro.

Early years

Adams was born in Houston, Texas.[1] He attended Cypress Creek High School in Houston,[2] and he was part of the Cypress Creek Cougars defense that included fellow future NFL player Dan Neil. At Cy-Creek, Adams was not only the Prep Southwest Defensive Player of the Year in football, but a state champion in the shot put, placing second in the nation among high school track and field athletes.

College career

Adams attended Texas A&M University, where he was a starter for the Texas A&M Aggies football team for three years. He was the Southwest Conference (SWC) Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 1991 and a first-team freshman All-American. He was a first-team All-SWC selection in 1992 after making 56 tackles, including 4.5 quarterback sacks.

In his junior year, 1993, he led the team in tackles for loss (13), sacks (10.5), forced fumbles (5), and fumble recoveries (3), while making 78 tackles. He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, and was named national defensive player of the year by Sports Illustrated. He was also the Southwest Conference defensive player of the year, as well as the runner-up for the Lombardi Award. He finished his Texas A&M football career with 169 total tackles, 23 tackles for a loss, 20.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.

He was also a member of the Texas A&M track team, throwing the shot and discus and for his accomplishments on the track and on the gridiron, Adams was inducted into the Texas A&M Hall of Fame in 2001.

Professional career

Adams was selected in the first round (eighth overall) by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1994 NFL Draft,[3] and he played for the Seahawks from 1994 to 1999.[4] He made several starts during his rookie year, splitting time between defensive tackle and defensive end. In his second season, he sacked Mark Brunell of the Jacksonville Jaguars for a safety, scoring his first points of his professional career. He also blocked a field goal in overtime against the Arizona Cardinals. He played several more years for Seattle, making the AFC Pro Bowl team as an alternate in 1997. In 2000 he signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens, and helped lead a dominating defense in the league to a victory in Super Bowl XXXV. That season he was also named as a starter in the Pro Bowl for the first time, a feat he would repeat the following season.

In 2002 he was a free agent once again, and this time he signed with the Oakland Raiders. He started 14 of 16games that season, missing one due to injury and played in the other game, but did not start. He was on the team that went to Super Bowl XXXVII.

In 2003, Adams signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent and helped anchor the defensive line there. His first game for Buffalo was a memorable one, as he registered a sack, two tackles, and an interception against Tom Brady that was returned for a touchdown (his second career TD). He was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2003 for the second time in his career.

On March 1, 2006, Adams was released by the Bills due to salary cap issues.

On March 31, 2006, Adams signed a three-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, reuniting him with head coach Marvin Lewis who was the defensive coordinator for the Ravens when Adams played for them.

Adams signed with the Denver Broncos on June 4, 2007. He was released on December 4, 2007.

NFL stats

Year Team GP COMB TOTAL AST SACK FF FR YDS INT YDS AVG LNG TD PD
1994 SEA 12 27 20 7 4.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
1995 SEA 16 26 16 10 3.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
1996 SEA 16 40 34 6 5.5 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
1997 SEA 16 51 36 15 7.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
1998 SEA 16 29 26 3 2.0 0 1 0 1 25 25 25 1 4
1999 SEA 13 38 31 7 1.0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
2000 BAL 16 27 23 4 2.0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6
2001 BAL 14 23 19 4 2.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
2002 OAK 15 21 17 4 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
2003 BUF 15 33 24 9 5.0 0 1 0 1 37 37 37 1 3
2004 BUF 16 41 26 15 5.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3
2005 BUF 14 19 15 4 3.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2006 CIN 16 14 10 4 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2007 DEN 11 9 5 4 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Career 206 398 302 96 44.0 6 5 0 3 62 21 37 2 36

[5]

Key

Personal

Adams and his wife have two sons and a daughter. His father, Sam Adams Sr., played guard in the NFL for the New England Patriots (1972–1980) and New Orleans Saints (1981).

Adams is nicknamed "The Man Mountain". He is still a very popular figure in Seattle; he raised the "12th Man" flag during a 2012 Sunday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers.

References

  1. ↑ National Football League, Historical Players, Sam Adams. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  2. ↑ databaseFootball.com, Players, Sam Adams. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  3. ↑ Pro Football Hall of Fame, Draft History, 1994 National Football League Draft. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  4. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, Sam Adams. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Sam Adams Stats". ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
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