Adams Becomes 1st Leopard to Play in NFL Preseason Game Since 1977
Louisville Leopards 2017 alum Tyler Adams made his NFL debut Saturday Night for the Indianapolis Colts in their preseason game against the visiting Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Field. Adams is the first Louisville Football alum to make an appearance in an NFL game in 46 years.
Adams Enters for Final Colts Drive
Adams entered the game with 3:34 left in the fourth quarter with the Colts nursing a 21-17 lead. Indianapolis ran the ball eight straight times and Adams was able to throw down some blocks to help get the Colts into field goal range.
The Colts’ 9 play, 27 yard drive ended with a 35 yard field goal by kicker Matt Gay that increased the Indianapolis lead to 24-17. The Colts defense held the Bears off the board for the remaining 1:10 left on the clock to secure the seven point preseason victory to even their record at 1-1 on the season.
Adams is Leopards 1st NFL Player Since Kuhn
Adams is the first Leopard football player to make an appearance in an NFL game since Ken Kuhn in 1977. Kuhn, a 1972 LHS graduate, played 3 preseason games for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1977. Kuhn sustained a knee injury during the Bengals’ 33-9 preseason win over the St. Louis Cardinals on August 27, 1977. His NFL career ended when he was waived by Cincinnati soon after.
Kuhn was drafted in the 7th round by the Bengals in 1976, but missed his entire rookie season because of knee surgery following a pre-training camp injury. Kuhn never played in a regular season game.
Colts Announcers Highlight Adams’ Butler Career
After Adams was on the field for his first NFL play, the Colts broadcasters highlighted his college career for about a minute and a half.
“I wanted to point out the fact that Adams is on the field. He’s the young man that’s wearing number two right there on your screen. The reason I make a point to bring him up, he played last year at Butler University. He is trying to become the first Butler player to play in an NFL regular season game since the late Arnold Mickens was here in 1996. Tyler suffered a couple of torn ACLs in his days at Harvard before he then grad transferred to Butler and he’s been kind of on and off the roster a couple of times, good to see him getting some snaps…
…Tyler did a great job at the Celtic Bowl last year for a rejuvenated Butler program in the Pioneer Football League.”
– Indianapolis Colts Broadcast
Tyler Adams 2022 Butler Football Highlights
Gladieux the Last NFL Leopard to Play in the Regular Season
Adams will not only be looking to become the first Butler player to play in a regular season game since 1996, but also the first Louisville player to do so since 1972.
The legendary Bob Gladieux (1965 alum) played in 45 regular season games during his NFL career from 1969-1972 according to Pro Football Reference. Gladieux played for the Boston/New England Patriots in 43 of those games and also played 2 games for the Buffalo Bills. The final regular season game of his NFL career came on November 26, 1972 when the Patriots were shutout on the road by the Baltimore Colts 31-0 at Memorial Stadium.
Bob Gladieux 1970 Opening Day Story
Masterson Was the 1st NFL Player from Louisville
The only other Louisville player to make the NFL was Forrest Masterson, a 1940 graduate. Masterson was drafted 40th overall by the Chicago Bears in 1945. He played 7 games in 1945 for Chicago in his only NFL season according to Pro Football Reference.
Adams marks the fourth Louisville alum to make it to the NFL. The Indianapolis Colts will go on the road to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, August 24 at 8:00 PM to conclude the preseason.
