Where did things go wrong between Davante Adams and the Raiders?
According to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, the worst days of their relationship didn’t kick into gear until this year’s offseason.
“When Adams failed to show up for voluntary OTA’s, the pot began to boil over into frustration,” Hondo reported on Thursday in a column he has been building up for weeks.
“While the team was at work, Adams posted a video of him washing his car on social media… Adams’ actions spoke loudly to his teammates, many of whom simply began to ‘move on mentally’ from him. The Raiders organization, however, saw it differently. While some saw it for what it was, others thought the talented WR was simply a ‘diva’ by nature.”
While the offseason issues were a bump in the road, it sounds like the preseason is where Adams and Antonio Pierce really started to move in different directions.
It was no secret in August that Adams didn’t want to play in the preseason and Pierce wanted everyone getting preseason reps.
That was a huge conversation piece prior to the start of the regular season that many chose to write off as ‘click bait.’
The media exchanges between Pierce and Adams have been well documented, and Hondo believes that’s where their relationship was severed.
“All of that led to what many felt was the nail in the relationship’s coffin,” Hondo said. “Pierce, after his edict of a fast start, informed the team that all players would play in the preseason if healthy. Spirited, Pierce had spoken to the team about the Raiders’ legacy of toughness and that he wanted to start fast.”
“The team warmly embraced their new coach’s command and were excited to play except for Adams. On Aug. 14, Pierce interacted with the media after Adams had made it clear he didn’t want to play in the team’s final preseason game. He was asked the question: ‘You said starters will play this week. Davante Adams last night said he’d choose not too if it was up to him. Will there be a conversation, or do you think that he’s kind of at the point in his career where it’s up to him?’ Pierce [said] “No, if you’re healthy, you’ll play.’”
“Pierce had drawn the line in the sand,” Hondo continued. “That led to one team source telling us, ‘I am sure Adams will have a hammy issue so he doesn’t have to play. If he doesn’t, I don’t see how that can do anything other than hurt this team. It will be such a disrespect of AP, he will be done. Until he’s gone, that will not be good in this locker room.’”
Reading the full account, it sounds like the divorce between the Raiders and Adams had been in the cards for months.
Adams denied that there were any issues up until the time of his trade. He scolded media members for creating fake narratives, but it sounds like the team saw a different side of Adams.
Even the day after he requested a trade, Adams shared a disingenuous message about how he didn’t know why Pierce would ‘like’ a social media post about the team potentially trading him.
As Paul Harvey would say many years ago (look it up if you don’t know)…
“Now we know the rest of the story.”
x: @raidersbeat
You guys are so into Adams go ask him out for a date… Raiders need to move on and jumpstart the offense… need a running game and passprotection… stop dealing away good players to pickup one superstar… past Raider greats and teams made made their name as Raiders or unwanted by other teams and fit in as a Raider… most players let go would have helped this team today… carr was our last steady Quarterback. Hunter was a good clutch receiver. Josh j is back to running wild who’s the Dickweed who thought it was ok to let him walk… focus on the second half of the season and figure out what kinda offense and personal fit without changing so much… remember the Steelers in the 70s they use to trap all the time Defenders knew it was coming but they perfected it and made it hard to stop… i hated it but it was some of the best physical games ever… and our Defense was always up for it… if he built that stadium anywhere in California the Raider home games would have been so loud aliens from other planets would have wanted to be Raider fans… evaluate during the second half of the season and stop getting rid of good players…
One player. What about the other 52?
Missing the pount a bit?
I’ve said all along that he was a Prima Donna. What a selfish person. So happy to see him go. Now look, he’s bringin’ his same Cancer to Green Bay. When will the Raiders have a Cancer Free season. Has the money ruined the game. All season, I’ve been telling my wife about losing teams and the difference between a losing team and a winning team. The winning team has 53 players that are “Sold Out”….They will do anything to win and cherish their team and teammates , coaches and their fans. They would rather die than to let themselves any of those folks down. Sunday, against the Bengals was a perfect example, I won’t name names, but when the Bengals receiver was diving for the end zone, our defensive back had an opportunity to hit him on the one yard line as he was in mid air with the ball stretched out. That hit could have easily jarred the ball out, but our DB chose to dive over the ball carrier and avoid the collision….Why? Is it because he makes a lot of money and doesn’t want to risk injury? It is the little things that make a difference between a 2-7 team and a 7-2 team. We all deserve better than we have been getting. For God Sake, Have some Raider Pride!
Adams had already made up his mind, that he was going to force himself out. It was a very passive/aggressive approach, but I think it was good for both parties. Raiders got a 3rd round pick out of it and Adams got to play with Rodgers. At the end of the day, it was worth letting Adams go because this is just another wasted season for the Raiders and they’re better off developing younger talent
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This “inside info” is coming from the Telesco camp trying to put all of this fiasco of a season on AP and AP alone. Now remember TT brought in GARDNER MINSHEW to be more a backup. He than didn’t trade up for the QB AP wanted (understand Wash wanted him as well) but 6 QBs went b4 TT picked a TE/slot TE. As soon as Penix went to Atl and TT wasn’t going to throw a hail mary for Justin Herbert he should’ve been trying to trade DA. The earlier the player is known to be available the more teams and picks increases. And am I forgetting to mention APs org OC wasn’t Gutless Getsy? I personally thought AP wasn’t ready and Harbaugh was the best choice. I’m just trying to point out that Telesco has made more of a negative of this season with his questionable roster. Now AP is what I thought, not ready.
Too big of an ego. Hamstring my ***. He is not a team player. I hope the Jets suck.