In November, Jamal Adams said he wanted to be a “Jet for Life.” Thursday, he said he wants to retire a Seahawk.
The safety spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since Saturday’s blockbuster trade, which finally concluded a months-long saga between Adams and the Jets.
“The plan is to retire here,” Adams said from Seattle on a Zoom call with the media.
Adams said he cried “tears of joy” on Saturday when he found out he was being traded. The deal — which sent a pair of first-round picks, a third-round pick and safety Bradley McDougald to the Jets for Adams and a fourth-round pick — came a month after Adams had requested a trade out of New York, unhappy over a lack of progress on a contract extension.
“I prayed on it hard and I asked God to place me where I needed to be, whether that was to go back to New York or whether that’s to be traded,” Adams said. “This is my calling. I’m here to stay and I’m excited to be a Seattle Seahawk.”
In the leadup to the trade, Adams had trashed Jets coach Adam Gase and said general manager Joe Douglas had promised him a contract offer. Douglas has since denied that claim while adding that Adams’ comments had nothing to do with the trade coming to fruition.
Adams sang a different tune Thursday and said multiple former Jets teammates called to wish him well.
“They said they’re going to miss me, they love me,” Adams said. “And it’s the same back. I have no hate in my heart towards anyone — Joe, Adam Gase, anyone. I wish them all well.”
The former first-round pick, meanwhile, appears to be quite happy in his new home.
“I’m really overwhelmed, but at the same time, it’s so surreal to be around a great organization like Seattle and to be coached by legendary coaches, Hall of Fame coaches, playing with Hall of Famers,” Adams said. “From Russ [Russell Wilson] to Bobby [Wagner], KJ [Wright], Bruce Irvin, Quandre Diggs. The list goes on and on. I’m just excited to be here.”