Jamal Adams is going to be with the Seattle Seahawks for the foreseeable future after the safety signed a four-year, $72 million contract, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Seattle Times previously reported Adams was prepared to miss games without a new deal, but the star safety admitted it was a bit of a bluff. The Seahawks can thank Adams’ mother for sealing the deal as she called the safety to urge him to ink the team’s offer that was on the table.
“Man, hell no [not missing games], I’m not BooBoo the Fool, I wasn’t not going to take the contract, so no,” Adams told reporters in his first public comments since negotiations began this offseason. “Where I’m from, we’re definitely taking that. Mom called, she called twice. When mom called and she told me I needed to take the contract, it was a no-brainer. Momma knows best.”
Schefter reported Adams received a $20 million signing bonus and $38 million in guaranteed money. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Adams’ new deal can give him an average annual salary of $18 million which would match Bobby Wagner, who is the highest-paid Seahawks defender.
“Jamal Adams’ deal with the #Seahawks has a max value of $72 million over four years, meaning he could reach the $18 million per year plateau (i.e. Bobby Wagner’s average) with team and individual performance,” Garafolo tweeted.
Adams Admitted He Wanted to Be the Highest-Paid NFL Safety
“When my mom says my full name, I think I need to pay attention” 😂😂
Adams confirmed that one of his goals going into the negotiations was to be the highest-paid NFL safety. His new deal accomplishes that and the star credited the Seahawks front office for making it happen.
“Yeah, absolutely [wanted to be the highest-paid safety], I believe in myself, and I believe in what I can do on the football field,” Adams explained. “All I needed was somebody to believe in me, and those guys upstairs, they believed in me, and they took a chance on me. And all I can do is continue to produce and continue to work my tail off and win ballgames, man.”
Adams Is Going to the ‘Next Level’ in Taking Care of His Body
Being the highest-paid safety and one of the top earners on the Seahawks comes with added responsibilities. Adams rattled off a list of ailments he dealt with in 2020 which included a torn labrum, multiple torn tendons in his fingers along with injuries to his groin and elbow.
The swiss-army knife defender took a self-deprecating jab at himself admitting he was like “glass” last season. The safety played in just 12 regular-season games in 2020, the fewest of his career. Adams noted he started going to the “next level” in taking care of his body this offseason. The Seahawks star is taking a page out of Russell Wilson’s book by investing in his body.
“Honestly, it’s just staying on top of everything, doing the little things, [being] in the weight room, [working] after practice,” Adams added. “When I’m home, I’m getting massages. I have a chamber. So, I invested in my body, you know what I mean? I don’t know how much I’m going to spend on my body, but it’s going to be very high. It might not be like Russ [Wilson], but it’s going to be high.”
During an October 2020 interview on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Wilson estimated that he spends about $1 million annually on taking care of his body. Adams will have to up the ante to match his teammate’s spending, but with his new deal he has the bankroll to do so.
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Jamal Adams Breaks Silence With Message to Seahawks