Former NFL wide receiver Rodney Adams training for pickleball career
Former NFL wide receiver Rodney Adams is hoping to join the professional pickleball ranks - with a little help from some friends.
The 30-year-old is training in Colorado under the watchful eye of pickleball pro Eli Steiner, Hall of Famer Kyle Yates and The Picklr Loveland owner Leslie Arnold.
Adams was a member of several NFL organizations (Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and New York Jets) before hanging up his cleats in 2022.
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“I never dreamed when I walked into The Picklr Loveland that I’d then be training with Kyle Yates and he’d be providing the path for me to take my pickleball to the next level,” he said. “My main focus is now to compete at the highest level. Pickleball gave me a glint in my eye—the same as I had with football—and I just knew where my next journey was. I then reached out for advice on how to turn pro, which led me to The Picklr Loveland.”
Yates is eager to work with a high-calibre athlete like Adams, who's clearly committed to achieving this objective.
“Rodney knows what it takes to train and compete at the highest level of sports, though pickleball should be a unique challenge for him, which seems only to motivate him even more,” he explained. “His determination is contagious; I’m excited to help him achieve his goals in this new sport. To get to where he wants to be, he must be trained by people who can get him there, and we at The Picklr have that experience.”
Arnold, meanwhile, is convinced that Adams can make this dream a reality.
“Wherever Rodney ends up, he’ll get there because he believes in himself,” she said. “We at The Picklr Loveland believe in Rodney and will ensure he has the tools and support needed to get where he is going. Our tagline is ‘Where Pros are Made,’ and we provide training for first-time players as well as those aspiring to turn pro.”
Interestingly enough, Adams was slated to play for the Colorado Summit of the Ultimate Frisbee Association this season, but it appears that he had a change of heart to make pickleball a priority.
He would have become the first player in UFA history to join from the NFL.
