Gaines Adams

Gaines Adams

Adams in 2006 while at Clemson
No. 90, 99
Position:	Defensive end
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1983-06-08)June 8, 1983
Place of birth:	Greenwood, South Carolina
Date of death:	January 17, 2010(2010-01-17) (aged 26)
Place of death:	Greenwood, South Carolina
Height:	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:	258 lb (117 kg)
Career information
High school:	Fork Union (VA) Military Academy
College:	Clemson
NFL Draft:	2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4
Career history
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2007–2009) Chicago Bears (2009)
Career highlights and awards
PFW / PFWA All-Rookie Team (2007) Unanimous All-American (2006) First-team All-ACC (2006) ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2006)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles: 93 Quarterback sacks: 13.5 Interceptions: 2 Forced Fumbles: 3 Player stats at NFL.com

Gaines Adams (June 8, 1983 – January 17, 2010) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons. He played college football for Clemson University, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was drafted in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears of the NFL. Adams died unexpectedly in 2010 from a previously undetected heart condition.

Adams was born in Greenwood, South Carolina. He attended Fork Union Military Academy in 2001 and recorded 58 tackles, 22 sacks, and two interceptions in 10 games. He was a three-year starter at Cambridge Academy, a small private school which only had an 8-man football team, where he was a dominant wide receiver and defensive end. His coach during high school was former University of South Carolina quarterback, Steve Taneyhill. In 2000, his team won the state title. During that year, Cambridge shut out four different teams, beating one team 80–0. They had suffered only one loss that season to arch-rival King Academy. He had 158 career receptions for 4,394 yard and 65 touchdowns, as well as 341 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 33 sacks in his career, and was a two-time All-state honoree. He chose Clemson over Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He had narrowed down his choices to North Carolina and Clemson, then signed with Clemson after the Tar Heels unexpectedly rescinded their offer. At Cambridge, he was named to the Greenwood Touchdown Club/Index-Journal All-Lakelands Team (which included four counties).

Sources:

Adams attended Clemson University, and played for the Clemson Tigers football team from 2002 to 2006. He was redshirted in 2002. As a redshirt freshman in 2003, he did not see much action as the second-team defensive end, only totaling 15 tackles and a sack. In 2004, he had 35 tackles with 8 sacks, and two blocked punts playing on special teams. For his hard work on special teams, Adams was awarded the 12th Man Award for Clemson's defense. Adams considered coming out for the NFL Draft after his sophomore year, but after the underclassman panel gave him a conservatively low ranking he decided to stay for his junior year.