Adams attended Texas A&M University, where he was a starter for the Texas A&M Aggies football team for three years. He was the Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 1991 and a first-team freshman All-American. He was a first-team All-SWC selection in 1992 after making 56 tackles, including 4.5 quarterback sacks. In his junior year, 1993, he led the team in tackles for loss, sacks, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries, while making 78 tackles. He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, and was named national defensive player of the year by Sports Illustrated. He was also the Southwest Conference defensive player of the year, as well as the runner-up for the Lombardi Award. He finished his Texas A&M football career with 169 total tackles, 23 tackles for a loss, 20.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two interceptions. He was also a member of the Texas A&M track team, throwing the shot and discus and for his accomplishments on the track and on the gridiron, Adams was inducted into the Texas A&M Hall of Fame in 2001.
Professional career
Adams was selected in the first round by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1994 NFL Draft, and he played for the Seahawks from to. He made several starts during his rookie year, splitting time between defensive tackle and defensive end. In his second season, he sacked Mark Brunell of the Jacksonville Jaguars for a safety, scoring his first points of his professional career. He also blocked a field goal in overtime against the Arizona Cardinals. He played several more years for Seattle, making the AFC Pro Bowl team as an alternate in 1997. In 2000 he signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens, and helped lead a dominating defense in the league to a victory in Super Bowl XXXV. That season, he was also named as a starter in the Pro Bowl for the first time, a feat he would repeat the following season. In 2002, he was a free agent once again, and this time he signed with the Oakland Raiders. He started 14 of 16 games that season, missing one due to injury and played in the other game, but did not start. He was on the team that went to Super Bowl XXXVII. In 2003, Adams signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent and helped anchor the defensive line there. His first game for Buffalo was a memorable one, as he registered a sack, two tackles, and an interception against Tom Brady that was returned for his second career touchdown. He was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2003 for the second time in his career. On March 1, 2006, Adams was released by the Bills due to salary cap issues, 30 days later Adams signed a three-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, reuniting him with head coachMarvin Lewis who was the defensive coordinator for the Ravens when Adams played for them. Adams signed with the Denver Broncos on June 4, 2007. He was released on December 4, 2007.
Adams and his wife Erika, have two sons and a daughter. His father, Sam Adams Sr., played guard in the NFL for the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints. Adams is nicknamed "The Man Mountain". He is still a popular figure in Seattle; he raised the "12th Man" flag during a 2012 Sunday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers. Sam Adams is the current owner of the Indoor Football League team Spokane Shock.
