Stevenson junior defensive lineman Anthony Adams III is on a mission.
Already one of the area’s most disruptive defenders, the son of former Chicago Bears player Anthony Adams Jr. intends to forge his own identity.
“I want to show everyone that I’m better than people think I’ll be,” Adams III said. “I’m not playing like I’m playing because of my dad. He helps me a lot. I listen to him, and he’s a big inspiration. But it can be tough at times.”
The 5-foot-10, 250-pound Adams III has been making it tough for opposing offenses all season. After being more of a complementary piece of Stevenson’s defense as a sophomore, Adams III has developed into one of the anchors of a unit that has limited five of 11 opponents to seven points or less.
As the Patriots (10-1) prepare for their game at Lincoln-Way East (11-0) in the Class 8A quarterfinals on Friday, Adams III ranks fourth on the team with 61 tackles, including 12 for loss. He has a team-high 10 sacks, nearly doubling his total from last season, and also has an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
“His size, speed and athleticism make him a real matchup problem for a lot of teams,” Stevenson coach Brent Becker said. “We move him around a lot. He can be an end over the tackle, on the nose, or even off the ball at times. I’m glad he’s on our side.”
It’s worth noting that Adams III didn’t start playing football until his freshman year. That was intentional. It’s the same path followed by Adams Jr., who played in the NFL from 2003 to 2011, including the last five seasons with the Bears.
Adams III’s childhood was filled with other sports, like fencing, soccer, ice skating, wrestling, and track and field. He was nationally recognized in the shot put and the javelin.
“I was very upset not playing (football), but it was his decision,” Adams III said. “I love the sport of football and always wanted to do it. So it was a huge thing for me once I got to play.”
Adams Jr. wouldn’t hesitate to make the same decision again.
“After all the football I played, my hands hurt, my knees hurt, all of my joints hurt, and I remember thinking that I don’t want my son to feel like I do now,” he said. “We told him that when he turns 14, the decision would be his whether he wants to play or not.”
Adams III’s first game on Stevenson’s freshman team in 2022 began inauspiciously. But he bounced back quickly.
“I got pancaked on my first play,” he said. “By the end of the game, though, I had three sacks.
“It felt really natural out there chasing guys around. I felt like this is really, really my sport.”
Since then, Adams III’s play has grown by leaps and bounds. Part of that process has involved Adams Jr.’s individualized instruction, which takes many forms.
“There was one time when he was taking out the trash, and I lined up the garbage cans in the driveway to show him how to keep his gap in check and what to do when the quarterback tears from the pocket and you have contain,” Adams Jr. said. “I did the same thing the next week, and now all I have to say is ‘garbage cans,’ and he knows what I mean.”
Many of Adams Jr.’s lessons focus on gaining every seemingly small advantage over offensive linemen.
“He’s taught me a lot of the little stuff that I didn’t know, like how to split a double team, and how important your hands are in keeping the distance between you and the lineman as far apart as possible,” Adams III said. “That allows you to use your eyes to see what’s going on.”
Adams Jr. recently urged his son to make sure he works up a good sweat during warmups before games.
“I was like, ‘Here we go again,’” Adams III said. “But I tried it before the Sandburg game and had one of my best games with 2 ½ sacks.”
During that first-round game against Sandburg on Nov. 1, Adams III showcased one of his most improved traits — his motor.
“I was playing three-technique, and I ran all the way across the field to the sideline,” he said. “Last year, I wasn’t chasing down sacks like that.”
Adams Jr., a volunteer assistant for the Patriots, is proud of his son’s progress.
“I get a kick out of teaching him something and then seeing him actually do it,” Adams Jr. said. “I just tell him to trust the process, and he’s getting better each week. What’s great is I see him doing a lot of the things that can’t be coached.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
