William Joseph Adams (born February 4, 1950) is an American former professional

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who played six seasons with the

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of the

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(NFL). He later became a longtime high school football coach and athletic director in Massachusetts. Adams played college football at Holy Cross, where he was a standout offensive guard. He was selected by the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...

in the 1972 NFL Draft but played his entire NFL career with the

, where he was part of the famed “Electric Company” offensive line that blocked for

O. J. Simpson Orenthal James Simpson (July 9, 1947 – April 10, 2024), also known by his nickname "the Juice", was an American professional American football, football player, actor, and media personality who played in the National Football League (NFL) ...

during his 2,000-yard rushing season. After retiring from professional football, Adams worked for over 30 years in education and coaching, including nearly two decades as head coach at Lynnfield High School.

Early life and college

Adams was born in

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest List of municipalities in Massachusetts, municipality in Massachusetts, United States, and the largest city in Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line ...

, and raised in nearby Swampscott. He attended Swampscott High School, where he starred as an offensive lineman under coach Stan Bondelevitch. Adams was named an All-Scholastic player and participated in the Agganis All-Star Game after his senior year. He went on to play at Holy Cross, where he transitioned from linebacker to offensive guard. Adams was named first-team All-New England and received the Davitt Award as the school’s top offensive lineman.

Professional career

Adams was selected in the seventh round (161st overall) of the

1972 NFL draft The 1972 NFL draft was the 37th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft was held on February 1 and 2 at the Essex House in New York City, New York. With the first overal ...

by the

, but was released before the season. He was signed by the

shortly thereafter and remained with the team through the 1978 season. Adams played in 46 career games, starting one. Though primarily a backup, he was part of the offensive line known as the "Electric Company," which helped

rush for over 2,000 yards in 1973. He played behind All-Pro guards Joe DeLamielleure and Reggie McKenzie. He retired from the NFL in 1979 at age 29, choosing to focus on family and life beyond football.

Coaching and teaching career

Following his NFL career, Adams became a teacher and coach at Lynnfield High School in Massachusetts. He served as head football coach from the late 1980s to 2007, leading the team to several winning seasons, including a 9–1 record in 1991. He also coached basketball and served as the school’s athletic director beginning in 1994. He was inducted into the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame for his long-standing contributions to high school sports.

Personal life

Adams continued working in education after his retirement from full-time teaching, serving as a substitute teacher and interim athletic director at nearby high schools. He resides in Massachusetts.

NFL career statistics

References

External links

Bill Adams at Pro Football Reference

Bill Adams at NFL.com
{{Miami Dolphins 1972 NFL draft picks 1950 births Living people Players of American football from Massachusetts American football offensive guards Buffalo Bills players Holy Cross Crusaders football players People from Swampscott, Massachusetts High school football coaches in Massachusetts