Visibly frustrated Davante Adams slams helmet on Raiders sideline during MNF loss to Lions

Davante Adams approached the Las Vegas Raiders' bench and slammed his helmet into it, an appropriate representation for the star receiver's night — and his tenure with the Raiders organization. So was his abrupt exit from the field not long after the clock hit zero on the Raiders' loss to the Detroit Lions on "Monday Night Football."

On Monday, Adams' frustrations visibly boiled over. The ESPN broadcast showed him uttering a choice word or two to himself amid the 26-14 loss, in which Adams had one catch (on seven targets) for 11 yards and a dropped pass on third-and-4, the three-time All-Pro was left nearly speechless.

"I honestly don't know what to say," Adams told reporters from the Ford Field visitor's locker room. "I wish I had the words to say something that's not going to get blown up by the media and taken out of context."

The last time Adams had only one catch came exactly one year prior — Oct. 30, 2022, when the Raiders were shut out by the New Orleans Saints.

"Frustration," Adams replied when asked about his emotions hardly 20 minutes after the game clock hit zero.

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Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew Adams on what would have been a 60-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, which precipitated the helmet slam. Earlier in the game, Adams created more than enough separation on a go route with the Raiders backed up in their own end zone; Garoppolo was pressured and his throw was not close.

“He can only do what he can do," Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said. "He got himself open."

Garoppolo, despite missing two games this season, leads the league in interceptions with nine. Raiders backups Brian Hoyer and Aidan O'Connell each threw two interceptions apiece in their starts.

Diplomatically, Adams said it was not difficult to maintain confidence despite the distressing results.

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"It's hard to curb your frustration when you can't put it together," Adams admitted.

Adams was not totally without fault. He dropped a pass in that was slightly behind him, but hit his hands, with Vegas facing a third down inside its own 10-yard line in the third quarter.

The performance followed weeks of voiced frustration from Adams and his lack of involvement in the offense. Heading into Week 7, Adams said that despite back-to-back victories: "I came here to win and to do it the right way, so if it doesn't look like it's supposed to look, then I'm going to be frustrated if I'm not part of that plan."

Adams wasn't the only Raiders player stumped by the struggles. Asked about what could spark the offense, running back Josh Jacobs replied: "I don't know. It ain't my job." 

Last week, Adams told "The Rich Eisen Show" he was "happy to be a Raider, 100 percent."

"This was my choice and this is something that I'm standing by, I want to continue to work at, to make it what it's supposed to be," Adams said. "I'm not happy at every moment with the way things go, but I'm definitely proud to wear this uniform."

The Raiders acquired Adams from the Green Bay Packers two offseasons ago for the price of their 2022 first- and second-round draft picks. In his first season with Vegas, Adams caught 100 passes for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns.