Getty Seahawks safety Jamal Adams at Lumen Field on October 22, 2023.
The Seattle Seahawks‘ 24-20 win over the Cleveland Browns at Lumen Field on Sunday, October 29 wasn’t entirely smooth, but a heroic effort by safety Jamal Adams allowed the team to come out victorious.
The Browns had the opportunity to ice the game with 1:57 left on the clock. However, instead of rushing the ball on third-and-3, Browns quarterback P.J. Walker tried to throw a quick pass to receiver Amari Cooper, which turned out to be fatal decision for Cleveland, as Adams jumped up and deflected the ball with his helmet.
Adam’s soccer style move caused the ball to fly nearly 20 yards and drop into arms of safety Julian Love for the interception. The freak play gave the Seattle the ball back after which quarterback Geno Smith connected with rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the game-winning touchdown.
Thank you to Jamal Adams head for this INT.
& the Seahawks win
A video of Adam’s helmet deflection quickly went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Seahawks Pete Carroll was thrilled over the $70 million safety’s bold play.
“Man, this is what he lives for,” Carroll told reporters after the game.
Adams, who suffered a devastating quadriceps tear in Week 1 last year, has been on snap count since making his season debut against the New York Giants on October 2. While he’s continued to ramp up production each week, this air jump this marked the veteran’s first meaningful play since he returned.
“He lives for these opportunities and to go for it when it was on the line,” Carroll noted. “He came up with a way to figure it out and did something that changed our fortune in this game. Fantastic.”
Jamal Adams Said He Got the Move From Soccer Legend Lionel Messi
Jamal Adams on his interception-causing header: “I got that from Messi.”
When asked about his big play, “I got that from Messi,” Adams joked. But on a more serious note, Adams expressed how happy he was to contribute in general.
“I’m just grateful, man,” Adams said. “I want to do whatever I can just to help the team win. And that’s what it’s about. It’s not about anything [else]. I’m not trying to make it about me or whatnot. It’s definitely been hard. I’m still a long process. Just gotta continue to run with it. I’m just grateful just to be here. Grateful to be with my teammates. And grateful to get a win.
Love, who recorded his first interception of the season, believed Adams channeled another soccer star against the Browns.
Julian Love came down with the interception that set up Seattle’s winning TD.
“First pick as a Seahawk,” he said. “Thank you, Jamal Adams.”
A blitzing Adams stuck his helmet into P.J. Walker’s throw, deflecting the ball high into the air.
“That was prime Ronaldo,” Love said.
“He was prime [Cristiano] Ronaldo right there,” Love said. “That play is all credit to ‘Mal. The way he plays — the passion, the energy, the physicality. If he’s not pressuring the way he is, that play never happens. And who knows what happens at the end? That’s Jamal Adams.”
Safety Quandre Diggs gushed over Adams’ resurgence, as well. “Anytime I can look to the left or the right and see him, it puts me in a better head space,” Diggs said.
“At the end of the day, I know what you’re gonna bring, you know what I’m gonna bring and we’re gonna have fun with it. He plays dang near every down, and coming off what he’s coming off of [with the injury], he’s been tremendous. I know I’m excited as hell when he’s out there.”
Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski Was Ripped for Calling a Pass
Hate the call from Kevin Stefanski to pass on 3rd down.
Hate it.
The Seahawks defense seemed to have no answer against the Browns run game, allowing Cleveland to rush 40 times for 155 yards and a touchdown. If Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski called another run play, there’s a strong chance Seattle might’ve lost the game.
Browns fans ripped Stefanski for this crucial misfire. He told reporters after the game, “Obviously with the interception, the outcome you’re always thinking, ‘What could you do differently there?,'” Stefanski said. “We can’t… we had options there, certainly you can run and certainly you can pass it, but the result, that was tough.”
“There’s gonna be plays you want back, of course, hindsight is always 20-20. For what it’s worth, Walker did have multiple players open on the play, however they were to the opposite side of the field that Walker was throwing.