Pittsburgh Steelers DL Montravius Adams hasn’t had the greatest season in 2022. Many expected Adams to push Tyson Alualu coming off a fractured ankle last season to be the team’s starting nose tackle after jumping on the moving train in 2021, flashing in spurts last season as a penetrating force that can aid in the team’s run defense. While Adams has started seven games for Pittsburgh in 2022 according to Pro Football Reference, the results haven’t yielded what we were hoping for after Adams signed a two-year deal this offseason, showing inconsistent play against the run at the beginning of the year.
Still, while Adams has struggled at points this season, he has a new-found sense of confidence thanks to one man having confidence in him when he didn’t have confidence in himself. That man being head coach Mike Tomlin.
“I really don’t want to say this, but if I’m being 100% honest, I could possibly be home with my family,” Adams said according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “What he did for me mentally was great. Like, can’t even be explained. He’s one of them dudes you’ll run through a wall for, most definitely.”
Adams was on his way to being run out of the league after being selected by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He played out his rookie contract there and signed with the New England Patriots in March of 2021, only to get released prior to the start of the season. He landed on his feet with the New Orleans Saints a week later but was later released in November and signed back to their practice squad. Pittsburgh snatched Adams of their practice squad in-attempt to improve their poor run defense last season as Adams went on to start four-of-five games played with the Steelers last season.
“He gave me an opportunity to come in as a nose, start, play,” Adams said regarding Coach Tomlin. “He just gave me confidence that I didn’t have at the time.”
Adams credits Mike Tomlin for not only giving him a chance to be on a 53-man roster again in the NFL after playing for three teams in less than a calendar year, but also the opportunity to come in and start for a team that managed to sneak into the playoffs. While his play has been shaky to start 2022, Adams has rebounded the last few weeks, providing the defense with a quality run defender that wins with quickness off the ball and effort fill gaps and work through blocks in attempt to stop the opposing team’s running game.
Montravius Adams mentioned earlier this month that he will do everything in his power to keep Tomlin from having the first losing season of his career as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Right now, we’re two games away from Adams fulfilling his promise as Pittsburgh has gone 5-2 since the bye and has matchups against the Ravens and Browns to close out the 2022 season. It’s become a personal mission for Adams to do good by his coach who likewise did good by him, giving Adams the confidence as well as the opportunity to make a name for himself again in the National Football League.
