Julius Adams

Julius Thomas Adams Jr. (April 26, 1948 – March 24, 2016) was an American professional football player who spent his entire career as a defensive lineman for the New England Patriots in the National Football League. Born in Macon, Georgia, he attended Ballard-Hudson High School, where he was an honor student and played as a two-way lineman under coach Robert Slocum. The school had also produced his football idol, Baltimore Colts offensive lineman Jim Parker. Adams went on to play college football for the Texas Southern Tigers.

The Patriots selected Adams in the second round of the 1971 NFL draft. He developed into a durable presence on the New England defensive line and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1980. Through 2025, he ranks second in Patriots history with 80.5 quarterback sacks and fourth in games played with 206.

Adams figured in two of the more contentious games in NFL history. He recorded three sacks in a December 19, 1976 playoff loss to the Oakland Raiders, a game later cited among the most controversial ever played. He also contributed a key blocked field goal in a 3–0 win over the Miami Dolphins during a 1982 snowstorm, the contest remembered as the "Snowplow Game." Adams died on March 24, 2016.