Seattle Seahawks star safety Jamal Adams was notably absent from the team’s thrilling victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, with head coach Pete Carroll telling reporters he was likely at home, according to Seattle News Tribune’s Gregg Bell.
After getting cooked left and right by the San Francisco 49ers’ offense last week, the Seahawks decided to bench Adams this week, marking him a healthy scratch 90 minutes before game time Monday night, per Bell.
Adams apparently decided not to show up for his team’s game following the decision. When asked where he was, coach Carroll told reporters “I think he was home,” per Bell.
While not showing up to work would typically be a fireable offense at most jobs, Carroll appeared to cut Adams some slack, saying “he didn’t need to be there,” according to Bell.
Carroll noted the difficulty Adams has had working his way back from a devastating quadriceps injury in 2022 and said the benching “was hard on him. We talked about it, and how he was going to deal with it,” Bell reported. (RELATED: Seattle Seahawks Get Magical ‘Monday Night Football’ Win Off Immaculate Winning Drive, Bomb From Swagged Out Drew Lock)
Meanwhile his replacement, first-year Seahawk Julian Love, absolutely balled out. Love secured two fourth-quarter interceptions off of star Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, including this dazzling sideline snag.
Look how much ground Julian Love covers for the pick after rotating back into the center fielder position last night. Dare I say: Earl Thomas-like! pic.twitter.com/Un61WhyUQJ
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) December 19, 2023
Carroll did indicate the hard-hitting Adams would be back on the field for their next matchup against the “hard-nosed” Tennessee Titans, saying “We need him” and “I think this is going to maximize his chance to finish the season,” according to Bell.
Still, even if Adams plays Sunday, it’s hard to say the Seahawks didn’t overpay for him. They gave up two first-round picks to secure his services from the Jets in a 2020 trade. Since the trade, Adams has only played in 34 of the Seahawks’ 64 games, according to Pro Football Reference, and has often struggled in coverage. The Jets meanwhile, while still a pretty terrible team generally, turned the picks they got from Seattle into a solid starting lineman in Alijah Vera-Tucker and a bonafide star in wide receiver Garret Wilson.