Veteran NFL defender Jamal Adams' season with the Minnesota Vikings has been cut short due to a season-ending knee injury, confirmed Sunday. Adams sustained the apparent injury during the team's preseason opener against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Saturday.
The 30-year-old played only 11 defensive snaps before leaving the field. He was taken to the sideline medical tent and subsequently carted to the locker room.
Adams' final play occurred in pass defense on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart in the second quarter. While tracking a receiver, Adams reportedly crumbled to the turf with what appeared to be a non-contact injury.
The injury is a significant blow to both Adams and the Vikings, who signed the defensive player to a one-year contract just before training camp began in July. Adams is familiar with MetLife Stadium, having previously played three seasons with the New York Jets after being drafted by them in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft as a safety.
Since 2020, Adams has played for multiple teams, including the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, and most recently the Las Vegas Raiders. Despite earning three Pro Bowl selections during his career, Adams has been plagued by injuries in recent years, playing nine or fewer games in the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons.
Initially a safety, Adams transitioned to linebacker last season with the Raiders. Reports indicate the Vikings had been utilizing him at both safety and linebacker during training camp. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell expressed his disappointment, stating, "In such a short amount of time, Jamal has done such an unbelievable job coming here. 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 he was kind of paving for himself, and then just having a personality, experience, toughness that he brought in such a short amount of time. We're going to miss him."