Douglas O. Adams (November 3, 1949 – August 9, 1997) was an American professional football linebacker who played four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL).
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| No. 52 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | November 3, 1949 Xenia, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died: | August 9, 1997 (aged 47) Brown County, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Xenia (OH) |
| College: | Ohio State |
| NFL draft: | 1971 / round: 7 / pick: 165 |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Early life
editAdams was the son of Armic and Edna Adams.[1] He attended Xenia High School in Xenia, Ohio.[2] He was named XHS MVP in 1966, MVP in the Western Ohio League in 1966, and selected to WOL, Southwestern, and All-Ohio All-Star teams. He was named 1st Team Scholastic All-American and a High School All-American in 1966.[3] He also ran track.
Adams was named to the Xenia Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2011.[3]
College career
editAdams played college football at Ohio State University and started for three seasons at OSU, helping the Buckeyes compile a 27–2 record. He was one of the "Super Sophs," a starting linebacker who helped lead the Buckeyes to the 1968 national title.[1] in Adams' three years, the Buckeyes won two Big 10 titles and played in two Rose Bowls.[4]
Professional career
editAdams was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 1971 NFL draft. After he was cut by the Broncos, he was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals in early September.[5] In his four years with the Bengals, he played in 49 games, starting 10. In 1972, his second season, he intercepted 3 passes, returning them for 44 yards.[6]
He retired after the 1974 season at age 25 after battling a knee injury,[7] and he returned to Ohio State to earn a dental degree.[1]
Personal life
editAdams was a dentist with a practice near Mt. Orab,[8] and he resided in Georgetown, both in Brown County, Ohio.[9]
He died at age 47 while cycling on August 9, 1997, when he was hit by a driver who had fallen asleep.[10]
After his death, to honor Adams, Xenia High School raised funds for the new Doug Adams Fitness Center, which opened in the fall of 2000. His career is memorialized in a display case just outside the room.[1] The Buccaneers play in Doug Adams Stadium.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Ohio State football: Person's personal tribute". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "DOUG ADAMS". profootballarchives.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
- ^ a b "Class of 2011". Xenia Athletic HoF. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Doug Adams, a linebacker on Ohio State's". AP NEWS. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "The Cincinnati Enquirer 14 Sep 1971, page Page 25". Newspapers.com. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Doug Adams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "The Cincinnati Enquirer 13 Aug 1997, page Page 6". Newspapers.com. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "The Cincinnati Enquirer 13 Aug 1997, page Page 6". Newspapers.com. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "EX-BUCKEYE, BENGAL DIES IN CRASH". Chicago Tribune. August 12, 1997. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ "The Xenia gift that keeps on giving". daytondailynews.com. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
- ^ "Xenia Community Schools tackle Doug Adams Stadium renovation project". WDTN.com. December 14, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2023.