Jamal Adams’ run with the Minnesota Vikings is over before it even began.
The former All-Pro defender Adams has been diagnosed with a season-ending knee injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Sunday. The news comes just one day after Adams suffered a non-contact injury during a preseason game against the New York Giants.
In the second quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Adams was attempting to cover Giants receiver Calvin Austin III in the middle of the field and suddenly fell down in a heap (see the video here). Adams had to be carted off the field as the Vikings later went on to beat the Giants by a final score of 13-10.
The injury to Adams sparked a renewed debate over the field conditions with the artificial turf at MetLife, which has already seemingly caused a number of other serious injuries to NFL players. Now it has been confirmed that Adams was the stadium’s latest unfortunate victim.
Adams, a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, already overcame a major leg injury (a torn quad tendon) in 2022 with the Seattle Seahawks. After playing out the majority of his NFL career as a safety, Adams had transitioned into a new role as a linebacker over the last couple of seasons.
Last season for the Las Vegas Raiders, Adams played in all 17 games, logging 45 combined tackles, 1.0 sacks, and a forced fumble. But after signing a one-year, $1.4 million veteran’s minimum contract with the Vikings late last month, Adams may now be staring down the potential end of his NFL career at 30 years old.
