Jets' Starting Safety Heads to Locker-room after Apparent Hand Injury

Second-year pro suffers injury while sliding across the turf in pass defense

New York Jets' starting free safety Tony Adams suffered a hand injury in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills and jogged right off the field into the locker-room. 

Defending a 2nd-down pass to the front left pylon, Adams dove to the ground in front of Bills' tight end Quintin Morris. The second-year safety's hand appeared to get caught underneath his body as he slid head first out of bounds. 

The ball fell incomplete with 6:08 remaining in the opening quarter of the important AFC East matchup. As Adams stood up, television cameras showed a gruesome injury to his left pinky finger. He did not head toward the sideline, instead opting straight for the tunnel.

After a 3rd-down incompletion, the Bills kicked a field goal to take an early 6-0 lead. 

The Jets initially listed Adams as questionable to return with a hand injury as veteran Adrian Amos filled in. 

"Tony Adams came back, he was dealing with a dislocated finger, but he’s fine," said Saleh following the 32-6 defeat.

Adams finished with four solo tackles.

The Jets were already playing without a starting member of their secondary. Slot cornerback Michael Carter II was a gameday inactive due to a hamstring injury that popped up on Saturday.

Adams, who made the Jets as an undrafted rookie in 2022, earned the starting safety job out of training camp this past summer. The Week 11 road game was his eighth start of the season. He made 43 tackles and one interception over his first seven appearances.

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