Seahawks’ Jamal Adams has a ‘serious’ knee injury after blitzing into Russell Wilson
After two seasons cuts short by multiple injuries, it appears Jamal Adams will have this season limited by another major injury, too.
Coach Pete Carroll said Monday night after the Seahawks’ wild, raucous, 17-16 victory over Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos Adams has a “serious” knee injury.
The star who signed a $70 million contract with Seattle before last season, the richest in NFL history for a safety, got hurt blitzing and hitting Wilson in the second quarter of the opening game.
“He hurt his knee tonight. Not a typical knee injury,” Carroll said. “His quadriceps tendon got damaged some tonight. He got hurt.
“So it’s a serious injury.”
The 70-year-old coach is typically more restrained immediately after games. The fact he used the words “damaged” and “serious” after only preliminary testing during and immediately after a game suggested Adams could be out for many weeks, if not months or the rest of the season.
Adams blitzed free in on Wilson and was spinning the former Seahawks quarterback to the ground when Wilson threw a desperate pass incomplete off linemen midway through the second quarter. That ended a Denver possession that had advanced to midfield at raucous Lumen Field.
Trainers on the Broncos sideline briefly looked at Wilson’s lower leg and ankle after that drive ended.
On the other sideline, Adams went into the blue observation tent next to Seattle’s bench.
Wilson said after the game “I pray for Jamal...he’s one of the best in the game.”
Adams has been limited to 12 of a possible 16 and a possible 17 regular-season games in each of his first two seasons playing for Seattle. He’s had multiple surgeries to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder, and to fuse broken fingers.
He was playing Monday with a protective glove over the middle finger of his left hand, which he broke again on the first day of training camp July 27.
The Seahawks acquired Adams as an All-Pro safety from the New York Jets in the summer of 2020 for two first-round draft choices and veteran starter Bradley McDougald. Adams had 9 1/2 sacks in his first season with Seattle, a NFL record for a defensive back.
That earned him the record contract extension before last season.
Josh Jones replaced Adams, playing with Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs. Jones was in as a third safety, back deep with Diggs to allow Adams to play nearer the line of scrimmage and blitz on the play when he was injured.
The Seahawks led the game 10-3 when Adams got hurt.
On Denver’s next possession, Wilson targeted Seahawks rookie defensive back Coby Bryant by sending wide receiver Jerry Jeudy from the slot on an out-and-up route at Bryant. Wilson’s easy 67-yard touchdown pass past Bryant tied the game at 10 midway through the second quarter.
This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 10:17 PM.
