Flozell Adams
{{Short description|American football player (born 1975)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Flozell Justin Adams
| image = Flozell Adams - Offensive Tackle - Cowboys.JPG
| image_size =
| caption = Adams warming up in 2008 at Texas Stadium.
| number = 76, 71
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|5|18|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Bellwood, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lbs = 338
| high_school = Proviso West {{nowrap|(Hillside, Illinois)}}
| college = Michigan State
| draftyear = 1998
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 38
| pastteams =
- Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|1998}}–{{NFL Year|2009}})
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2010}})
| highlights =
- Second-team All-Pro (2007)
- 5× Pro Bowl (2003, 2004, 2006–2008)
- First-team All-American (1997)
- Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year (1997)
- First-team All-Big Ten (1997)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (1996)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 198
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 194
| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue3 = 10
| pfr = AdamFl00
}}
Flozell Justin Adams{{Cite web |title=Flozell Adams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AdamFl00.htm |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} (born May 18, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1998 NFL draft, and also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Adams was a five-time Pro Bowl selection.
Early life
At Proviso West High School, Adams played the trumpet for the school's band until his junior year when he took up football, becoming a two-year starter at left tackle, while receiving All-American and first-team All-State honors as a senior. He also earned four letters in track for the shot put and three letters in wrestling. His number 76 is only one of three numbers retired by the school, along with Ray McElroy and Awvee Storey. He also was involved in foreign language clubs.
College career
Adams attended Michigan State University, where he played for coach Nick Saban's Michigan State Spartans football team from 1994 to 1997. His massive size (6-foot-7, 335-pounds) earned him the nickname "The Hotel", and served him well as a three-year starter (2 at right tackle and 1 at left tackle). After earning honorable mention All-Big Ten in 1995, he went on to develop into one of the best offensive linemen in the nation. As a junior in 1996, he was a second-team All-Big Ten selection. As a senior in 1997, he received All-America honors, was named the Big Ten offensive lineman of the Year, and was a semi-finalist for the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award.
He also was invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.
Professional career
=Pre-draft=
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 7+3/8
| weight = 335
| dash = 5.50
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical =
| broad ft =
| broad in =
| bench = 26
| wonderlic =
| arm span = 36+1/2
| hand span =
}}
=Dallas Cowboys=
image:Flozell-Adams-2007-Eagles.jpg.]]
Adams was drafted in the second round of the 1998 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys.{{Cite web |title=1998 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1998/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He was expected to go higher,{{cite news|title= San Jose Mercury News (CA)| url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB721B4C03437AB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | date=April 18, 1998}} but questions about his partially deaf right ear and his athletic ability made teams wary of his potential value. He became a 10-game starter at right guard as a rookie, and as a second-year pro was moved to left tackle, where he played at a dependable level, but never distinguished himself.{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SAEC&p_theme=saec&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10475F9AC13F0980&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=San Antonio Express-News, Archives {{pipe}} mySA.com |publisher=Nl.newsbank.com |date=2004-08-11 |access-date=2012-11-19 |first=Tom |last=Orsborn}}
On November 10, 1999, Duane Clemons was fined $7,500 for intentionally punching Adams in the testesArchived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/egL-bzsgOGQ Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20191117101441/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egL-bzsgOGQ&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egL-bzsgOGQ| title = duane clemons punches flozell adams | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} following an interception two days earlier during a Monday Night Football game against the Minnesota Vikings.{{cite web| url = https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/1999/1109/161440.html| title = ESPN.com - NFL - Clemons punched Cowboys' Adams below belt}} While Adams maintained that he didn't know why Clemons punched him, Clemons stated that he threw the punch because Adams illegally took him down from behind on an interception return.{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/big-blue-bull-eye-cowboys-lineman-flozell-adams-article-1.407932|title=Big Blue bull's-eye on Cowboys lineman Flozell Adams|website=New York Daily News|date=27 September 2009 }}
It is believed 2002 was the first time an NFL franchise had five African American starters on their offensive line, when the Cowboys lined up rookie center Andre Gurode, tackles Adams and Solomon Page, guards Larry Allen and Kelvin Garmon.{{cite web|url=http://a.espncdn.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1417470.html |title=ESPN.com: NFL - Color barrier on offensive line disappearing |publisher=A.espncdn.com |date=2003-01-30 |accessdate=2022-08-19}} When Bill Parcells became the Cowboys head coach for the 2003 season, there were doubts about the fifth-year player's future with the team. Parcells made re-signing him a priority, which became a turning point in his career, that saw his performance improved to a level that earned him five Pro Bowl selections. In 2007 he earned All-Pro honors.
Adams tore his ACL in 2005 playing against the New York Giants and was out for the final 10 games of the season. On February 28, 2008, he signed a six-year contract with the Cowboys. It was in the neighborhood of $42 million, including $15 million in guaranteed money and about $13 million in signing bonus. In the 2009 season, Adams was fined several times for kicking at and tripping opponents.{{Cite web |url=http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/flozell-adams-3-for-3-on-fines/ |title=Flozell Adams 3-for-3 on Fines – NFL FanHouse |access-date=2009-12-06 |archive-date=2009-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091004165512/http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/flozell-adams-3-for-3-on-fines |url-status=dead }} Adams also was part of an altercation with several Giants in their December 6, 2009, game at Giants Stadium after he pushed Justin Tuck from behind after a play had been blown dead, an action which drew review by the NFL and a fine of $50,000.[https://www.espn.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=4722023 NFL reviewing by Dallas Cowboys' Flozell Adams – ESPN Dallas] As a result, a rule change was approved during the off-season where any personal foul that occurs after the clock expires during a half will result in a 15-yard penalty on the second half or overtime kickoff. Adams was criticized for his false start and holding penalties, being called for the second most penalties in the NFL between 2006 and 2009.
The Cowboys released Adams on April 2, 2010 in a salary cap move.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=5050137|title=Cowboys cut OT Adams, S Hamlin|access-date=2010-04-02|last=Watkins |first=Calvin |date=2010-04-02 |work=ESPN.com}}
He is often overlooked as one of the top offensive linemen in club history,{{cite web|last=Watkins |first=Calvin |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4667500/tony-romo-will-miss-flozell-adams |title=Tony Romo will miss Flozell Adams - Dallas Cowboys Blog - ESPN Dallas |date=12 April 2010 |publisher=Espn.go.com |access-date=2012-11-19}} but only Larry Allen (ten), Zack Martin (nine), Tyron Smith (eight), Rayfield Wright (six), Nate Newton (six), and John Niland (six) have more Pro Bowl selections among offensive line players. He was also a durable player, missing only 14 games in his 12-year career with Dallas.
=Pittsburgh Steelers=
On July 29, 2010, Adams agreed to a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He replaced starting right tackle Willie Colon, who suffered a season-ending injury (torn Achilles tendon). Adams's move to Pittsburgh landed him in Super Bowl XLV, where was a starter as the Steelers lost to the Green Bay Packers.{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201102060pit.htm |title=Super Bowl XLV - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers - February 6th, 2011 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |access-date=2017-12-15}} He was released on July 29, 2011, after one season in Pittsburgh.{{cite web|last=Walker|first=James|title=Steelers release OT Flozell Adams|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/29892/steelers-release-ot-flozell-adams|work=ESPN|date=29 July 2011|access-date=29 July 2011}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Cowboys-Top-50-Players-41-45/8FFA77B24D5649DD8A52051B607975A2 Dallas Cowboys Top 50 players - No. 43 Flozell Adams] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310002736/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/cowboys-top-50-players-41-45/8FFA77B24D5649DD8A52051B607975A2 |date=2014-03-10 }}
- [https://archive.today/20130728060028/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Job-Well-Done/03E56986C9BC4E72B7F645FF6E9ACA7F Could Always Count On Flo]
- [https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/1469/flozell-adams Player Profile] on ESPN.com
- [https://www.nfl.com/news/steelers-agree-to-two-year-deal-with-free-agent-ot-adams-09000d5d81960954 "Steelers agree to two-year deal with free-agent OT Adams"]
{{Cowboys1998DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Flozell}}
Category:Players of American football from Chicago
Category:Deaf players of American football
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:Michigan State Spartans football players