Adam Gotsis is an American football player who currently competes in the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. He plays as a defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, which is one of the newest expansion teams to join the league.
Gotsis is one of few Australian athletes who have joined the NFL. In recent years, there’s been an uptick in Australian athletes who are drafted by NFL teams. Gotsis was drafted in 2016 by the Denver Broncos as the 63rd overall pick, which is the highest selection from any Australian athlete.Â
Other notable stars include Jordan Berry who plays for the Minnesota Vikings, Lac Edwards of the Carolina Panthers, Cameron Johnston of the Houston Texans, Michael Dickson of the Seattle Seahawks, Jordan Mailata of the Philadelphia Eagles, Mitch Wishnowsky of the San Francisco 49ers, and the most recent draftee from 2020, Arryn Siposs of the Eagles.Â
Gotsis has been one of the most consistent and successful players on this list, along with Mailata and Wishnowsky. In fact, all three have been mentioned in NFL picks from leading pundits who make selections for each of the league’s 17-week schedule.
Adam Gotsis Bio & Career
Prior to playing American football, Gotsis was an active participant in Australian rules football. This provided a foundational interest and skill in American football; though the sports vary greatly in terms of rules, they share physical skills and challenges. As Gotsis’ interest in Australian rules football lessened, he turned to American football opportunities in the Melbourne area.Â
Following years with the Monash Warriors, Gotsis found himself on the Australian national American football team. In 2011, he competed with the team in the IFAF World Championship, which helped him gain exposure for talent scouts around the world. Gotsis’Â strength and agility as a defensive end earned him an offer from Georgia Tech, which he accepted.
By July 2012, Gotsis had moved to the US where he began his American football career in the NCAA. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team is one of the most prestigious in the US. While with the Yellow Jackets, Gotsis earned an All-ACC Second Team placement.
Following his graduation, Gotsis was drafted by the Denver Broncos. He signed a four-year deal worth $5.4 million, as well as a signing bonus worth $1 million. Following knee surgery in 2019, Gotsis was placed on the injured reserve. One year later, he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he currently plays as a defensive end.
Adam Gotsis Facts & Accolades
Adam Gotsis was born in Melbourne, Australia on 23 September 1992. He stands at 1.93m and weighs 132kg, which makes him an ideal size for the NFL. His parents are of Greek descent.Â
Since joining the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020, Gotsis has become one of the team’s greatest assets. In fact, one reporter from Bleacher Report, Brent Sobleski, named Gotsis as one of the Jaguars’ greatest hidden gems.
Though Gotsis was expected to be a grounding veteran presence on the defense, he’s since become one of the biggest impacting players from the 2021 season. This helped earn him another year-long contract extension with the Jaguars following the end of his 2020 contract.
Adam Gotsis Net Worth
The defensive end’s original four-year contract with the Denver Broncos was worth a total of over $6 million, including Gotsis’ signing bonus. His one-year contract with the Jaguars in 2020 was worth another $1 million, as was his extension into next season. These both included bonuses worth a total of $100,000.
While Gotsis hasn’t penned any lucrative sponsorship deals, as is common with star athletes in US professional sports, this isn’t abnormal for many NFL players. Given rosters have around 50 players, not all players will receive offers from brands like Adidas or Under Armor.
Gotsis’ current net worth based on his NFL contracts is around $2.5 million, according to Over The Cap, which monitors NFL salaries and bonuses. As a 29-year-old player, Gotsis is now entering his final years in the NFL. Most players retire between ages 30 and 35.
