Jamal Adams’ first appearance for the Minnesota Vikings ended prematurely after he suffered a knee injury during Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Giants.
What happened to Jamal Adams?
Adams was covering a receiver on a crossing route when he suddenly went down. He rolled over and immediately grabbed his knee before attempting to get back to his feet.
The 30-year-old linebacker was unable to continue and eventually had to be carted off the field. He spent an extended period inside the medical tent before being taken away.
The incident also appeared to affect his teammates, with Josh Metellus and Byron Murphy Jr. reportedly checking on Adams and visibly showing their concern, according to The Athletic.
Coach Kevin O'Connell reacts on Adams' injury
Lindsey Young, an NFL insider and journalist who covers the Vikings, later shared head coach Kevin O’Connell’s reaction to Adams’ injury on X.
{{/usCountry}}Lindsey Young, an NFL insider and journalist who covers the Vikings, later shared head coach Kevin O’Connell’s reaction to Adams’ injury on X.
{{/usCountry}}“You feel his passion every single day. Certainly felt it spending a few moments with him before they took him in. You’re just crushed for him. The role that he was kind of paving for himself, and then him just having the personality, experience, toughness that he brought in such a short amount of time — we’re gonna miss him, and we’re gonna need to see some guys here step up,” O’Connell said, as relayed by Young.
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The Vikings coach also revealed what he told Adams after the injury, emphasizing the team’s support for the veteran safety.
“But what I told Jamal is, our organization, we’ve got our arms wrapped around him — and he’s a part of this thing, but you absolutely hate to see that,” O’Connell mentioned.
Adams’ injury details remain unclear
The exact nature of Jamal Adams’ injury was not immediately known, but the veteran safety managed to play 11 defensive snaps before heading to the sideline medical tent.
His final involvement came during a pass-defense play against Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart. The play ended with Dart throwing a 15-yard touchdown to Malachi Fields with 13:32 remaining in the second quarter.
Career marred by injuries
Adams entered the NFL after the New York Jets selected him in the first round of the 2017 draft.
Adams has dealt with persistent injury problems in recent years, appearing in nine or fewer games during each of the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons.
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The three-time Pro Bowler transitioned to linebacker last season while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. During Vikings training camp, however, the team has utilized him at both safety and linebacker.