Marcus "Chunky" Adams (born July 20, 1979) is a

Canadian football Canadian football () is a team sport, sport played in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's sco ...

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...

who played for the

Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in 1 ...

of the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

(CFL) for eight seasons. He also was on the rosters of the

Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Commo ...

of the CFL, the

Colorado Crush The Colorado Crush were an arena football team based in Denver, Colorado. They began play as a 2003 Arena Football League expansion team. The Crush played in the Central Division of the American Conference until the Arena Football League suspend ...

and

Spokane Shock The Spokane Shock were a professional indoor American football team based in Spokane, Washington, that played their home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The team was initially a member of arenafootball2 (af2), the Shock won divisio ...

of the

Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...

, and the

Peoria Rough Riders The Peoria Pirates were a professional arena football team that last played in AF2, the minor league to the Arena Football League (AFL). They played their home games at Carver Arena, part of the Peoria Civic Center in Illinois, and were coache ...

af2 The AF2 (often styled as af2, and short for arenafootball2) was the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like its parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football ru ...

throughout his professional career. He played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

Eastern Kentucky Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways * Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 * Eastern Air ...

. Adams was a backup at various defensive line positions for four seasons before he was given the opportunity to consistently start for the Roughriders. He had a breakout season in 2007, when he made a career-high 35 tackles and six sacks on his way to winning his first and only

Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...

championship. After eight seasons with the Roughriders, Adams was released and spent brief periods of time with the Edmonton Eskimos and Spokane Shock before retiring. He finished his career with 130 tackles and 12 sacks, appearing in eight playoff games and three Grey Cups.

Early career

Adams played

high school football High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...

for the Giants at

Ben Davis High School Ben Davis High School (BDHS) is a three-year high school in Indianapolis, Indiana. History Ben Davis was first established in 1892. The current school building was constructed in 1965. The school underwent extensive construction and renovation fr ...

, where he was an all-state defensive tackle and was named a top player by ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

''. The ''

Evansville Courier & Press The ''Evansville Courier & Press'' is a daily newspaper based in Evansville, Indiana. It serves about 30,000 daily and 50,000 Sunday readers. History The ''Evansville Courier'' was founded in 1845 by William Newton, a young attorney. Its first ...

'' reported that Adams was both fast and strong for a high school tackle, with a

40-yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed and acceleration of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time can have a he ...

time of 4.9 seconds and the strength to

bench press The bench press, or chest press, is a weight training exercise in which the trainee presses a weight upwards while lying on a weight training bench. Although the bench press is a full-body exercise, the muscles primarily used are the pectorali ...

. Adams went on to play four seasons of

with the

Eastern Kentucky Colonels The Eastern Kentucky Colonels are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), located in Richmond, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the ASUN Confere ...

, a member of the

Division I Football Championship Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Championship is an annual post-season college football game, played since 2006, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). From 1978 to 2005, the game was kn ...

(then known as Division I-AA). Starting in 33 games, Adams received several accolades while playing for the Colonels, including being named a Division I-AA third team

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

n, a two-time first team All-Conference player, and a second team All-Conference player. In September 2002, he was selected as the

Ohio Valley Conference The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern and Southeastern United States, Southeastern United States. It participates in NCAA Divisi ...

Defensive Player of the Week for his effort in a game against the

Florida Atlantic Owls The Florida Atlantic Owls are the athletics teams of Florida Atlantic University. The Owls participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I as members of Conference USA. On October 21, 2021, Florida Atlantic accept ...

, where he made 5 total tackles and repeatedly pressured the quarterback (including for one sack). Adams continued his successful senior year by recording 81 defensive tackles and five sacks.

Professional career

Saskatchewan Roughriders

On March 21, 2003, the Saskatchewan Roughriders announced that they signed Adams as a free agent. Adams went on to play eight seasons with the Roughriders.

2003 season

Adams received an early opportunity to start for the Roughriders after Ray Jacobs was suspended for missing practice in the preseason. Adams made his CFL debut as a

defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...

on June 19, 2003 against the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...

. He went on to play in nine regular season games and record 13 tackles in his rookie season, both due to Jacobs' continued suspension and injuries to other defensive linemen later in the season.

2004 season

Adams remained with the Roughriders for the 2004 season, but he did not play in any regular season games.

2005 season

Between the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Adams played indoor football with the

of the

and the

. On May 9, 2005, Adams left the Peoria Rough Riders to attend training camp with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He acted as a backup for the Roughriders throughout the 2005 season. In July, he started in place of Nate Davis, who was unable to play due to

back spasm Back pain is pain felt in the back. It may be classified as neck pain (cervical), middle back pain (thoracic), lower back pain (lumbar) or coccydynia (tailbone or sacral pain) based on the segment affected. The lumbar area is the most common area ...

s. Adams went on to play in only five regular season games, where he made two sacks and four tackles.

2006 season

Adams was again used primarily as a backup in the 2006 season, playing in only five games. He played in place of Nate Davis and T. J. Stancil when both players dealt with injuries. In September, Adams was placed on the injured list. He finished the season with seven tackles and a sack.

2007 season

After Nate Davis was released from the Roughriders in the offseason, Adams took over as a starting defensive tackle. By mid-July, Adams was leading the CFL with four sacks. While Adams was injured in November, he did not miss serious time, and he played a major role in the Roughriders' playoff run. In the Western final, Adams effectively ended a

BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place. The Lions played their first season ...

drive late in the fourth quarter by sacking opposing

quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...

Dave Dickenson David Dickenson (born January 11, 1973) is a Canadian football head coach with the Calgary Stampeders and former professional player with the Stampeders and the BC Lions where he won the 2006 Grey Cup and was named the game's MVP. Dickenson als ...

for a 14-yard loss. The drive ended in a punt, and the Roughriders went on to win 26–17 to move on to the Grey Cup. The Saskatchewan Roughriders won the

95th Grey Cup The 95th Grey Cup was held in Toronto at the Rogers Centre on November 25, 2007. The Grey Cup, first awarded in 1909, is the championship game of the Canadian Football League. It was played between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg ...

, defeating the

Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fiel ...

23–19. In the championship game, Adams was part of a defense that was described as "domineering" by ''

The Gazette The Gazette (stylized as the GazettE), formerly known as , is a Japanese visual kei Rock music, rock band, formed in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa in early 2002.''Shoxx'' Vol 106 June 2007 pg 40-45 The band is currently signed to Sony Music Recor ...

''. He finished the season with 35 tackles, six sacks, and one pass deflection in 16 regular season games, all of which were career highs.

2008 season

Adams faced the possibility of becoming a free agent after the 2007 season, but he re-signed with the Roughriders by February 2008. Adams was challenged by Brent Curvey and

Ronald Flemons Ronald L. Flemons (born October 20, 1979) is a former gridiron football defensive lineman. He attended John Marshall High School and Texas A&M University. Flemons was drafted in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft, 226th overall, by the Atlan ...

in training camp, but he won the starting role for the 2008 season. Playing in 14 games, he made 11 tackles and two fumble recoveries. Adams missed a regular season game in July to visit his mother, who was undergoing cancer surgery, and he also spent time on the injured list due to a finger injury and sprained ankle. The Roughriders made the playoffs, but lost to the BC Lions 33–12 in the West Semi-Final.

2009 season

Adams continued to start in the 2009 season, and he recorded 33 tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection while playing in all 18 regular season games. The Roughriders made it to the

97th Grey Cup The 97th Grey Cup was played on November 29, 2009, at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta, and decided the Canadian Football League (CFL) champion for the 2009 season. The Montreal Alouettes came from behind to defeat the Saskatchewan Roughrider ...

, where Adams forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate

Keith Shologan Keith Shologan (born November 26, 1985) is a Canadian football defensive tackle for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at UCF. Shologan has also been a member of the San Diego Chargers, Saskat ...

. Facing the

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the Canadian F ...

, the Roughriders lost 28–27, preventing Adams from winning his second championship.

2010 season

Adams again became a free agent before the 2010 season, but he re-signed with the Roughriders. He continued to regularly start and be featured in the rotation at the defensive lineman position. Adams missed Week 13 due to an injury. He finished the season with 27 tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery across 16 regular season games. The Roughriders again made it to the Grey Cup, but they lost to the Alouettes 21–18.

Retirement

Following the 2010 season, the Roughriders chose not to re-sign Adams. The

expressed interest, and Adams signed a contract with them for the 2011 season. He never played a regular season game for the Eskimos, and was eventually released. Adams later returned to the Arena Football League and signed with the

in 2012 before retiring from professional football.

Season statistics

Personal life

Marcus was born to a family of athletes, with his father and uncles boxing professionally. Adams was active in the

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

community throughout his time with the Roughriders. In March 2008, he helped coach a pee wee hockey team during a charity benefit for Dustin Lemire, a child diagnosed with

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

. Adams also coached that year in a high school training camp hosted by

Matt Dominguez Matt Pilar Dominguez (born June 27, 1978) is a former gridiron football wide receiver. He was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Sam Houston State. Dominguez was also a me ...

, a fellow Roughrider, and in a skills camp for the Ehrlo Monday Night Football League.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Marcus 1979 births Living people American football defensive tackles Canadian football defensive linemen Colorado Crush players Eastern Kentucky Colonels football players Edmonton Elks players Peoria Pirates players Players of American football from Indianapolis Saskatchewan Roughriders players Spokane Shock players Players of Canadian football from Indianapolis