Getty Seahawks safety Jamal Adams at Lumen Field on October 22, 2023.
This season has been an absolute rollercoaster for Seattle Seahawks star Jamal Adams, and not the fun kind. During Seattle’s 20-17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, Adams was noticeably absent.
Adams, who signed a four-year, $70.5 million contract with Seattle in 2021, is dealing with a lingering knee injury. The All-Pro safety was deemed “questionable” for the Week 15 matchup, but officially listed as inactive 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
Questions arose when it became clear Adams wasn’t even at Lumen Field for the season-saving victory. “I think he was home,” Carroll said during a December 19 appearance on Seattle Sports radio.
“It was hard on him,” Carroll said of Adams not playing. “We talked about it, and how he was going to deal with it. And he didn’t need to be there. Carroll stressed that Adams has a “warrior mentality” and that Seattle will “need him” against the Tennessee Titans on Christmas Eve. “I think this is going to maximize his chance to finish the season.”
However, something must’ve changed over the past 24 hours. Carroll told reporters on Wednesday, December 20 that they might have to shut Adams down for the season.
“It’s something that we have acknowledged,” Carroll said, per The Athletic’s Mike Dugar. “So far, he’s wanted to keep going and driving and see what he can make of it… We’ll take it one shot at a time and we’ll figure it out together.”
Adams did not participate in practice on Wednesday. “I just talked to him a little bit ago and today is not the day to go,” Carroll said. “He’s not ready for this day. We’re just one day at a time.”
If the 28-year-old safety doesn’t return this season, the 12s won’t miss him too much. Between not sticking around to support his teammates during such a pivotal game, his struggling performance when he does play, and questionable off-the-field antics, fans’ patience with the star safety have worn thin.
There’s Concern Over the Mental Health of Seahawks Star Jamal Adams
GettySeahawks safety Jamal Adams at MetLife Stadium on October 02, 2023.
While Adams’ absence from Monday Night Football was due to a physical injury, there’s questions regarding his mental state. SI’s Mike Fisher wrote, “That’s physical. But it can also be psychological.” The team may have bigger fish to fry with Adams’ mental health, issues that should not be taken lightly.
“And maybe it is impacting the Seahawks, too,” Fisher suggested. “In a way they are careful to not speak of, and in a way that causes us to wonder if privately, the club would be fine if he ‘stayed home from work’ permanently.”
Carroll was forced to address an embarrassing situation with Adams after the safety went after a reporter’s wife on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“We addressed it with him,” Carroll told reporters on December 7. “I don’t know if it was a great decision at the time. I don’t know the details of it, but I know that he realized he needed to take it down. We don’t want to be part of that.”
A few hours later, however, Adams doubled down on his attack on the reporter’s wife. “I hate that I had to bring her into the situation,” he said. “But at the end of the day, the ultimate goal was to get him… When others go low, I went lower.”
After the Seahawks’ 28-16 loss the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14, Carroll called out Adams by name for his poor performance, a rarity for the veteran coach. “We gotta practice cleaner, better,” he said. “For Jamal, we gotta make sure he’s getting his reps in practice that he can execute and get the timing.”
Jamal Adams Apologized for His Outburst Toward the NFL’s Concussion Doctor
After suffering a devastating quadriceps tear in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season, Adams returned to action for the first time against the New York Giants in Week 4.
However, he got kneed in the head early in the first quarter while tackling Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. However, the veteran initially refused to leave the field for further evaluation.
A video of his sideline outburst toward the independent concussion doctor, who’s appointed by the NFL and NFLPA, quickly went viral.
Jamal Adams being separated from the NFL red-cap concussion advisor by #Seahawks team staff. Adams yelled and pointed. Eventually led to the Seattle locker room without his helmet
Injured on the 10th play of his return, Giants QB Daniel Jones’ knee to Adams’ helmet
ESPN reported the league was considering disciplining Adams for his unruly behavior, but Adams got ahead of the situation and issued a formal apology for his actions. Adams posted, “First and foremost, I want to apologize to the OG.”
“You did everything right when you realized I was concussed, I apologize for any negative energy I brought your way. Watching the replay, I am thankful for your patience knowing I wasn’t myself in that moment. You’re a real one and you serve a great purpose that benefits the NFL and so many players. Prioritizing a player’s health is essential. Much respect to you!”