Gaines Adams was an American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League for three seasons during the late 2000s. He played college football for Clemson University, and was recognized as an All-American. He was drafted in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears of the NFL. Adams died unexpectedly in 2010 from a previously undetected heart condition. Adams was born in Greenwood, South Carolina. He attended Fork Union Military Academy in 2001 and recorded 58 tackles, 22... sacks, and two interceptions in 10 games. He was a three year starter at Cambridge Academy, a small private school which only had an 8-man football team, where he was a dominant wide receiver and defensive end. His coach during high school was former University of South Carolina quarterback, Steve Taneyhill. In 2000, his team won the state title. During that year, Cambridge shut out four different teams, beating one team 80–0. They had suffered only one loss that season to arch-rival King Academy.
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