Michael Adams
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Career Summary
Michael Adams was a Louisiana-Lafayette defensive back who played 80 NFL games with the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
NFL records list Adams, a 5-foot-8 defensive back from Louisiana-Lafayette, in 80 regular-season games from 2007 through 2013. He spent six seasons with Arizona before joining Tampa Bay for the 2013 season.
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College Career
At Louisiana-Lafayette, Adams made impact plays in the secondary and on special teams.
Louisiana’s 2009 media guide lists Adams’ 79-yard interception return for a touchdown against Middle Tennessee in 2006 among the program’s longest interception returns. In a 2005 game at Texas, the Cajuns credited Adams with a blocked extra point, two kick returns totaling 50 yards and his second career interception.
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Path to the NFL
Adams entered the NFL as an undrafted 2007 signing by Arizona and developed through the Cardinals’ practice squad.
Arizona’s official history says Adams was undrafted out of Louisiana-Lafayette, made the practice squad in 2007 and later reached the active roster. The club described his special-teams work as central to making the roster as a rookie.
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NFL Career
Adams played 74 games for Arizona from 2007 through 2012 before appearing in six games for Tampa Bay in 2013.
The Buccaneers said Adams entered 2013 after six Cardinals seasons with 74 games, seven starts, 165 tackles, three interceptions and 18 passes defensed. NFL statistics list 80 career regular-season games, including six with Tampa Bay.
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Career Accomplishments
Adams helped Arizona win its 2009 Wild Card playoff game against Green Bay by forcing the overtime fumble returned for the game-winning touchdown.
Arizona’s account of the game says Adams sacked Aaron Rodgers and forced the fumble that Karlos Dansby returned for the winning score. The Cardinals also reported that Adams played in the Super Bowl after the 2008 season.
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Playing Style
Despite his size, Adams established his NFL role with special-teams production before receiving a larger defensive opportunity.
Tampa Bay described Adams as a strong special-teams player who logged 49 kick-coverage tackles in Arizona. The Cardinals’ 2010 coverage called him an older, smarter leader among a young cornerback group.
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Legacy
Adams converted an undrafted opportunity into a seven-season NFL career and a prominent Cardinals postseason moment.
His path from Arizona’s practice squad to 80 regular-season games included the forced fumble that decided the 2009 Wild Card game against Green Bay.
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21775, 00-0025668, 1985-06-17, Michael Adams, Michael, Adams
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