Back home in Texas, George Adams was closely monitoring Seahawks practices throughout August training camp. Or, at least, he was monitoring as closely as one can while streaming YouTube videos of the workouts on his iPhone.
He tuned in each day to look for his son, for the Seahawks' newest star wearing the same No. 33 George wore when he played in the NFL, and for clues that reinforced his son made the right move in forcing his way out of New York this summer.
Jamal Adams, his dad is convinced, is where he belongs now, playing strong safety in Pete Carroll's secondary. George didn't need fuzzy YouTube practice videos to convince him of that. He could hear it in his son's voice and see it on his face during their regular talks and FaceTime calls.
"I see a difference in him. My wife sees a difference in him," George said. "It's like his first time going off to college. He's so happy. We see that gleam in his eye again. He loves it there, man. I'm telling you, he loves it."
That also was obvious to observers of Seahawks practices in Renton. The boundless energy Jamal brings to the field _ and the almost non-stop trash-talk that comes with it _ has been reminiscent of the fiery practices during the Legion of Boom days.
Jamal, still just 24 years old, was a Pro Bowl selection in his second season with the New York Jets in 2018 and a first-team All Pro last year, and he has quickly become a vocal leader for the Seahawks' defense. Seattle gave the Jets a massive haul _ two first-round draft choices and a third-rounder, plus starting safety Bradley McDougald _ to bring him here; and yes, he and the Seahawks are still very much in a honeymoon phase. But Jamal has been emphatic about how much he appreciates his new situation in Seattle, following a contract dispute in New York that helped prompt his departure there.
"In New York, I wasn't happy," Jamal said in a recent interview with The Seattle Times. "When you're trying to do something out of the norm, it's hard to please everybody. I was over it, man. I wasn't happy, and I knew I wasn't happy, and I had to take a chance."
Now, he said, "I'm just so at peace in life. I'm excited to be part of the Seahawks organization. The guys here have welcomed me with open arms."
