By Sunday 
Sometimes, saying less is more. But in Jamal Adams’ case, silence wasn’t part of the plan. The veteran safety, who had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it stint with the Detroit Lions, decided to exit stage left with a bit of drama—just enough to spark a few side-eyes in Motown.
A Quiet Tenure, A Loud Exit
Adams joined the Lions near the end of the 2024 regular season, starting in just two games and recording a modest three total tackles. Not exactly the stuff of legends—or even a strong case for re-signing.
So when Detroit released him on January 1, 2025, nobody really batted an eye. After all, other players were returning from injury, and Adams, still trying to regain his form post-quad tendon injury from 2022, wasn’t exactly lighting it up.
Fast forward to this week: Adams signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting with Pete Carroll, his former head coach in Seattle. And while that could have been a moment of quiet professional redemption, Adams instead used it as a chance to throw some shade.
“For every door that closed on me, thank you,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Detroit Closes the Door, Adams Opens His Mouth
The quote? Technically motivational. The context? Clearly meant as a subtle jab at Detroit—and maybe a few other teams who passed on giving him a second (or third) chance.
But here’s the thing: Detroit isn’t exactly crying over this. Lions fans are focused on a much bigger storyline—the team is chasing its first NFC Championship, and potentially, a Super Bowl berth. In other words, they’ve got bigger fish to fry than a safety who made three tackles and dipped.
A Lesson in Self-Awareness
There’s nothing wrong with feeling slighted. NFL players thrive on chips on their shoulders. But maybe—just maybe—Adams could’ve left with a simple “thanks” and kept it classy. Because if the Raiders end up struggling while the Lions are deep in playoff football, that “thank you” might age like milk.