Once a standout at Fresno State, Davante Adams credited the recruiting of Sean McVay as a prevailing reason for him landing back in California.
The new Los Angeles Rams wide receiver was roughly 5,500 miles away from Southern California on a trip to Japan recently, but it didn’t stop McVay from letting Adams know just how highly he thought of the three-time All-Pro and how much he wanted him in L.A.
And it worked to the tune of a two-year, $46 million pact.
“I was actually just in Japan on a trip with some of my friends out there and I thought [McVay] was out there too just based on ... I was talking to him more than I was talking to my wife,” Adams said Thursday, via team transcript. “He definitely showed a lot of interest. There were a lot of teams that reached out. You never know how that process is going to go when you haven't gone through it. Being 32 years old and going through it for the first time is definitely a different experience. It was fun and didn't last too long, but I'm glad to be a Ram now."
Following eight seasons with the Green Bay Packers that included five of his six Pro Bowl selections, Adams has had a roller coaster ride over the past three seasons. He had two-plus years with the Las Vegas Raiders, seeing his good friend Derek Carr released amid an everchanging QB carousel and head coach Josh McDaniels fired. He was then traded to the New York Jets last season to reunite with longtime Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but best laid plans fell flat amid Gang Green’s 5-12 season.
He was released this offseason and it seemed unclear just how hot a commodity he would be on the open market.
McVay made him feel wanted, though. The Super Bowl-winning head coach went so far as to send highlights of Adams to him with McVay narrating. It was the perfect touch.
“Aggressive,” Adams said of McVay’s recruiting tactics. “I'll say aggressive, but in all the right ways though.
“You know how he is with ball so he's breaking down every single clip. The first one was like seven minutes and then he sent another one that was probably another two minutes where he’s just going through everything and talking about it. I thought he took that job to be on TV for a minute when I was watching it. It just shows how much ball means to him and how much of a priority I was for him.”
McVay will be Adams’ fourth head coach in three seasons (he joined the Jets after they’d fired Robert Saleh), but it’s off to a positive start.
"There were a lot of different things that already appealed and honestly coming into it and knowing that this may be a thing that I would be a free agent is already something that was on my radar,” he said. “After speaking with a couple of players, Sean, and a couple of the other personnel, it was clear that this was where I needed to be.”
McVay wasn’t the only guiding light that illuminated Adams’ path to Los Angeles.
He’s a native of Redwood City in Northern California.
Having once envisioned ending his career with the Raiders -- his favorite team growing up -- Adams believes having a chance to likely conclude his NFL tenure in his home state is the next best thing for him and his family.
"Well, obviously going to the Raiders after leaving Green Bay was what I thought was a storybook [ending] at that time,” he said. “It was an amazing opportunity but being from California, coming back, being really close to home, having my family in my backyard and a lot of friends that are in the area... having my support system. I'm a really simple dude. My family and friends mean a lot to me so being able to have them have easy access to me out here, it's a good feeling for me just knowing I get to have that support, keep it real tight and stay close to family.”
Adams is also enthused about playing with quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Puka Nacua.
The veteran Adams is set to wear No. 17 as he has throughout his career. It’s a jersey number that has been worn by Nacua in his two seasons with the Rams. Nacua recently changed to No. 12, but Adams clarified it wasn’t due to his asking.
“I didn't even talk to him about it,” Adams said. “I think it was his plan to change to 12. I don't know when, but I know that before I even knew for sure if I was headed to L.A., he was already talking about wearing 12. For everybody out there that wants to hate me for making them buy new jerseys, I did not tell him. I didn't pay him. I didn't do anything. That was out of the kindness of his heart and he wore it in college, so I guess it made sense.”
Adams signing with L.A. seems to make a lot of sense at this point for a 2025 season shaping up to be an all-in approach for the Rams, particularly because Stafford's future is uncertain beyond the upcoming campaign.
From Green Bay to Las Vegas to New York to Japan to Los Angeles, Adams has arrived, thanks to an aggressive approach from McVay and the hopes of going out a winner as his decorated career winds down.
"It's been different for sure,” Adams said of being a first-time free agent. “It's my first time going on 12 years of being able to have this opportunity to essentially pick where I go. It's definitely a different opportunity. but it's been fun. Honestly, the period hasn't been too long since I've been a 'free man' and Sean wanted to make sure he kept it that way, that's for sure.”