Trey Adams' Infamous NFL Combine Answer Echoes Through Time
In 2020, during the NFL Scouting Combine, offensive tackle prospect Trey Adams was asked a standard interview question: "If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?" His response was anything but standard. Adams replied bluntly, "Bigger d***." This moment, captured on video, has resurfaced six years later, continuing to generate widespread discussion across social media platforms and drawing unexpected parallels to cinematic history.
From Combine Controversy to NFL Retirement
Despite his collegiate success with the Washington Huskies, Trey Adams went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Buffalo Bills signed him in May 2020, initially placing him on their practice squad when the season began. In January 2021, Adams signed a reserves/future contract with Buffalo, offering a glimmer of hope for his professional career. However, just two months later, in March 2021, almost exactly one year after his memorable Combine appearance, Adams announced his retirement from the NFL, ending his brief stint in professional football.
Parallels to Shawshank Redemption's Red
The resurgence of Adams' interview footage has prompted social media users to draw comparisons to a pivotal scene from the acclaimed film The Shawshank Redemption. In the movie, Morgan Freeman's character "Red" appears before a parole board multiple times over decades, each time providing carefully curated answers that he believes will secure his release. After forty years of rejection, Red finally expresses his true feelings, telling the board, "Rehabilitated? It's just a bull**** word. So, you go on and stamp your form, Sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because to tell you the truth, I don't give a sh**." This moment of brutal honesty ultimately leads to his parole being granted.
While Adams' candid answer mirrored Red's eventual honesty, the outcomes diverged significantly. According to reports from TMZ, Adams' response was met with laughter from many at the time, and it did not serve as a "green light" for his NFL aspirations. Instead, it became a defining, albeit controversial, moment of his public persona.
Support from NFL Analyst Gill Brandt
Not everyone dismissed Adams' answer. The late NFL analyst Gill Brandt, who passed away in 2023 at age 91, publicly defended Adams in 2020. Brandt expressed frustration that the confidential Combine interview footage had been leaked. Taking to social media platform X, Brandt stated he hoped the person responsible for the leak would be identified and punished to the fullest extent. He emphasized that these meetings are supposed to be confidential, arguing that the breach was unfair to both Adams and the NFL evaluation process, which relies on honest, private discussions between prospects and teams.
Cyberspace Reacts to the Resurfaced Video
The recent sharing of the six-year-old clip by the account MLFootball has ignited a fresh wave of reactions online. Social media users have engaged with the footage with a mix of humor, critique, and support:
- One user graded Adams, giving him "five-plus points for team morale" but "five-minus points for media reputation."
- Another exclaimed, "DRAFT THAT MAN," advocating for his straightforwardness.
- A commenter noted, "At least he was honest," while another quipped, "When keeping it real goes wrong," referencing a popular cultural phrase.
- Others urged teams to "Sign him up" or simply posted "respect" in response.
- Replying to MLFootball's caption calling it an 'insane interview,' one user wrote, "Don't ask the question then. Great answer LMAO."
Trey Adams' Life After Football
Following his retirement from the NFL in 2021, Trey Adams transitioned into entrepreneurship. He founded his own company, Adams Construction & Development LLC, based in Chelan County. According to the company's official website, Adams combined his passion for quality construction with his local knowledge and building experience. The firm specializes in new home construction, remodeling, outdoor living spaces, excavation, and dirt work, establishing Adams in a new career path far from the football field.
On the personal front, Adams' latest social media posts indicate he married his longtime girlfriend, Ally Bonnet, on February 21, 2026. The wedding took place at the Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort & Spa, marking a significant personal milestone for the former athlete.
Trey Adams' brief NFL journey and his unforgettable Combine answer remain a unique footnote in sports culture—a testament to how a moment of unfiltered honesty can resonate for years, connecting athletic evaluation with broader themes of authenticity and consequence.
