Pete Carroll says Jamal Adams must keep emotions in check against Jets
Jamal Adams of the Seattle Seahawks looks on prior to the game against the Giants at Lumen Field on December 06, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Credit: Getty Images/Abbie Parr
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll expects Jamal Adams to be fired up on Sunday, but he said it’s important for the safety to harness his emotions in his first game against his old team.
"You have to make sure that doesn’t get the best of you and you try too hard," Carroll said on a conference call Wednesday. "That’s something we talk to our guys about when we have those matchups come up.
"You want to do good when you back to the people that you know. I always like to beat my friends. He’s going to be naturally pumped, as will Brandon Shell, too. It’s important to him, too. It’s just part of it. We have to make sure we manage that well."
The game also means something to Carroll, who was the Jets head coach in 1994. But he’s much farther removed. Adams was sent to Seattle in July after requesting a trade when the Jets wouldn’t offer him a contract extension.
The Jets dealt Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick for two first-round picks (2021, 2022), a 2021 third-round selection and Bradley McDougald. Adams has one year remaining on his rookie deal, and Carroll said the plan is to lock him up long term.
"We would love to have Jamal staying with us," Carroll said. "That’s was one of the outlooks from the beginning. We were hoping to have him around here for a long time."
Adams is making his presence felt. He has a career-best 7.5 sacks and needs one more to set the single-season record for defensive backs. Carroll compared Adams to Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu because of his "attack mentality" and said it’s "been a blast" figuring out all the ways he to utilize him.
"He’s got such a diverse talent base," Carroll said. "His hit rate is pretty good. Usually you put him in positions and he makes plays. I think he’s having fun and enjoying the heck out of it."
