He came, he promised, and he played his heart out on the field. Yet, in the end, the only area he conquered could possibly be filed under the “grass is greener” category.
Drafted No. 6 overall in the 2017 NFL draft—by then-general manager Mike Maccagnan—Jamal Adams was an instant hit. The LSU strong safety who brought brashness and sizzle to Broadway also stole an entire fanbase’s heart.
(Oh yeah, he was also a much better pass-coverage safety in those early days than anybody remembers—but that’s beside the point.)
Although it’s been eight years since the New York Jets selected Adams, not much has changed in the “hope” department. At that time, like now, fans were aching for a winner, stars, and legitimate ballers.
Fans were starving for homegrown dudes to call their own.
Fans were foaming at the mouth for some “dawgs.”
Though his on-field play contrasted greatly to the following sentiment, Jamal Adams turned out to be anything but a “dawg”—at least as far as the New York Jets organization was concerned.
For several reasons, the potential for a Jamal Adams-New York Jets reunion makes little sense.
Still, Adams deserves significant credit for his recent Jets fandom tour.
Adams deserves a hat tip
On Wednesday, in the midst of a horrendous Game 5 for the New York Knicks, Adams joined “The Jet Lounge” X (formerly Twitter) fan group. Incredibly, he chatted up the fans for about two hours.
The clear takeaway from the appearance was simple: Jamal Adams wants to play for the New York Jets again.
“I would love to be back with the Jets and, obviously, finish it the right way,” Adams proclaimed. “Man, that would be a dream come true, just to patch up that relationship and kind of make it right.”
It’s an idea that’s been building momentum, courtesy of an Adams X post in April that showcased accountability for how things ended in the Summer of 2020.
Adams deserves credit purely because of his willingness to engage with fans and examine his own actions. No matter the situation, the world rarely sees a notable athlete take that course of action.
That doesn’t mean an Adams-Jets reunion is a fantastic idea—even if Jets fans fell in love with the player and person, which they undoubtedly did initially.
The veteran leader?
Before exploring the potential of a reunion, Jamal Adams said all the correct things the other night. Understanding Aaron Glenn, Adams made it clear that he’s willing to play the role of “veteran leader” for a regime seeking a youth movement.
“[I would] just come in as a seasoned vet, give game to the young cats and help in any way, shape or form I can,” Adams said. “I know I can still play football. I’m healthy, and I know I can impact the game in a lot of ways. I just need that fair opportunity to come in and show what I can do.”
Adams, who will turn 30 in October, last played for the Detroit Lions. And yes, Aaron Glenn was Adams’s most recent defensive coordinator in the league that plays for pay.
Let’s maintain the proper perspective throughout before the more sentimental folks start reaching for the stars: Adams officially played in just two games for a banged-up Detroit defense before getting the ax.
Numbers such as “two” are much more common for Jamal Adams (than those fitting nicely in the ironman category).
The risk-reward game
The last time Jamal Adams played more than nine games in a season was all the way back in 2021, his second season in Seattle (12 games). He also played 12 games the year prior (in 2020).
While in New Jersey, Adams’s availability could be described as respectable.
The self-titled Prez played full seasons in each of his first two seasons (2017 and 2018). He then followed that up with 14 games played in the 2019 season, his last with the Jets.
Although several reasons squelch the idea of a New York Jets-Jamal Adams reunion, his limited availability stops it cold from the jump.
Glenn isn’t the type of coach who keeps his ideas to himself, nor does he tiptoe around an elephant in the room. For Adams to have a semblance of a chance with the Jets, he has to stay on the field.
Unfortunately for him, there’s no evidence he can accomplish such a thing.
On the other hand, Glenn (and subsequently, Jets fans) would graciously accept the possibility of football help. If Adams were to accept the veteran’s minimum and give it a go under a zero-promises landscape, it’s tough to pinpoint the potential downside.
Right?
Could the positives outweigh the potential of even a singular negative?
Doubtful.
Is it worth using even one of the team’s 90 roster spots on a guy who cannot remain available? On a guy who may eat into young Malachi Moore’s reps or Tony Adams’s time on the practice field?
On a guy who’s appeared in just 20 games in the last three seasons (a possible 51 games)?
Scorched Earth
Granted, it feels like Jamal Adams has grown in the last half-decade, but would Woody Johnson and the organization ever contemplate such a low-level move? Try to rewind the clocks to 2020 for a moment.
Though much younger and perhaps much more confused and influenced, this is the same individual who made a lot of noise to get out of New York. Scratch that; this is the same individual who burned the entire facility down to get what he wanted.
What he … wanted.
Remember, this man went scorched Earth on the Jets organization. The moment his name reached a certain level via social media and sports fame was the instant he seemingly changed into a caricature of the kid we once knew.
Jamal Adams simply could not overcome … Jamal Adams.
To be fair, he made it known that he apologized to the general manager who ultimately traded him to the Seahawks for a heist.
“My biggest regret is me and Joe Douglas never speaking,” Adams said. “We never spoke on the phone one time. We never spoke in person—one time—before this trade happened. That’s where I wish we could have that back, because I can’t speak for him, but I didn’t go about it the right way at that time.”
His words and actions in 2025 appear honorable, no doubt, but the damage has already been done.
It’s just too much
It’s tough to imagine any scenario that features Adams back in a Jets uniform based solely on the history. Pour an ice-cold, wake-the-hell-up bucket of injuries on top of the wreckage, and the odds become slimmer.
Hey, if Aaron Glenn feels it’s worthwhile to bring the veteran free agent on a no-promise tryout, understanding very little can be lost, I get it.
The problem with that idea is quite simple: There isn’t much (if anything) that can be won.
Where Jamal Adams currently stands in the National Football League world, very few decision-makers believe he can stay healthy. Even worse, fewer think he can still play.
It’s why he’s currently a free agent.
Kudos to Jamal Adams. He deserves an earnest hat tip for his recent actions aimed at mending fences with hurt fans, but a reunion with the New York Jets makes little to no sense.
Besides, is campaigning for this potential on social media, the way he currently is, the best way to endear himself to a coach like Aaron Glenn? One has to wonder.
Either way, I’ll consciously opt for the glass-half-full route and tip my cap in Jamal Adams’s direction—oh-so cautiously—while also realizing that a reunion isn’t in the cards.
