NFL

Authorities: NFL player Phillip Adams killed 5, then himself

Published

6 years ago

April 9, 2021

ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) — Former NFL player Phillip Adams fatally shot five people, including a prominent doctor, his wife and their two grandchildren before killing himself early Thursday.

York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson told a news conference that investigators had not yet determined a motive for Wednesday’s mass shooting.

“There’s nothing right now that makes sense to any of us,” Tolson said.

Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, and his wife, Barbara, 69, were pronounced dead in their home in Rock Hill along with grandchildren Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5, the York County coroner’s office said.

A man who had been working at the Lesslie home, James Lewis, 38, from Gaston, was found shot to death outside. A sixth victim, Robert Shook, 38, of Cherryville, North Carolina, was flown to a Charlotte hospital, where he was in critical condition “fighting hard for his life,” said a cousin, Heather Smith Thompson.

At Thursday’s news conference, Tolson played audio of two 911 calls, the first from an HVAC company that employed Lewis and Shook. One of the men, the caller said, had called him “screaming” and saying that he had been shot, and that his coworker was shot and “unresponsive.”

“I think there’s been a bad shooting,” a different man said in a second 911 call, saying he was outside cutting his grass and heard “about 20” shots fired at the Lesslie home before seeing someone leave the house.

Tolson said evidence at the scene led authorities to Adams as a suspect. He said they went to Adams’ parents’ home, evacuated them and then tried to talk Adams out of the house. Eventually, they found him dead of a gunshot wound to the head.

Tolson said both a .45-caliber and 9mm weapon were used in Wednesday’s shooting.

A person briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press earlier Thursday that Adams had been treated by Lesslie, who lived near his parents’ home. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.

However, Tolson would not confirm that Adams had been the doctor’s patient.

Lesslie worked for decades as an emergency room doctor, board-certified in both emergency medicine and occupational medicine and serving as emergency department medical director for nearly 15 years at Rock Hill General Hospital, according to his website.

He and his wife had four children and nine grandchildren, and were actively involved with their church, as well as with Camp Joy, which works with children with disabilities and where Lesslie served as camp physician for a week each summer. On Thursday, Tolson said the family had asked that any memorials be made to the camp.

Adams, 32, played in 78 NFL games over six seasons for six teams. He joined the 49ers in 2010 as a seventh-round draft pick out of South Carolina State, and though he rarely started, he went on to play for New England, Seattle, Oakland and the New York Jets before finishing his career with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015.

As a rookie, Adams suffered a severe ankle injury and never played for the 49ers again. Later, with the Raiders, he had two concussions over three games in 2012.

Whether he suffered long-lasting concussion-related injuries wasn’t immediately clear. Adams would not have been eligible for testing as part of a broad settlement between the league and former players over such injuries, because he hadn’t retired by 2014.

Adams’ father told a Charlotte television station he blamed football for his son’s problems, which might have led him to commit Wednesday’s violence.

“I can say he’s a good kid — he was a good kid, and I think the football messed him up,” Alonzo Adams told WCNC-TV.

Deputies were called around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday to the Lesslies’ home, and evacuated the neighbors as they searched for hours for a suspect.

Allison Hope, who lives across from Adams’ parents’ home, about a mile from the Lesslies, said police allowed her to return home around 9 p.m. Wednesday. Moments later, a vehicle pulled into the Adams’ driveway and law enforcement quickly surrounded the property.

She said they spent hours negotiating with Phillip Adams, using a loudspeaker and sending in a robot to scan the house. She said authorities repeatedly asked Adams to come out, and promised to get his disabled mother out safely, before Adams shot himself.

“This is something I can’t grasp yet. I can’t put it all together and I’m trying to,” Hope said.

Adams often isolated himself, even as a player, his agent, Scott Casterline, told the AP. Casterline said he spoke regularly with Adams’ father, who left him a voicemail Wednesday morning.

“This is so unlike him. He had to not be in his right mind, obviously,” Casterline said, adding that Adams struggled away from the game.

“He had an injury his rookie year. Some teams wrote him off and he had that stigma of a guy who was hurt,” Casterline said. “It was hard for him to walk away from the game, especially a guy as dedicated as he was.”

“We encouraged him to explore all of his disability options and he wouldn’t do it,” Casterline added. “I knew he was hurting and missing football but he wouldn’t take health tips offered to him. He said he would but he wouldn’t.”

“I felt he was lost without football, somewhat depressed.”

Cowboys cornerback Kevin Smith, who trained Adams, said the former NFL player had opened a shop selling smoothies before COVID-19 hit. Both he and Casterline emphasized Adams didn’t drink or do drugs.

Lesslie founded two urgent care centers and had traveled the country giving lectures to an emergency nurses’ group, his website said. He wrote a weekly medical column for The Charlotte Observer and became a prolific author, writing several volumes with advice on how to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and lose weight.

The physician also penned a number of collections of what he termed “inspiring true stories” from his work.

“I know without a doubt that life is fragile,” Lesslie wrote in one of those books, “Angels in the ER.”

“I am convinced we need to take the time to say the things we deeply feel to the people we deeply care about.”

A statement from the Lesslie family said they were “in the midst of the unimaginable” but felt assured by faith that their “hearts are bent toward forgiveness and peace.”

Jacksonville

Jaguars Maul The Patriots 35-6

Published

2 weeks ago

September 27, 2026

Mike Brodsky

Jaguars vs. Patriots (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) beat the New England Patriots (1-2) 35-6 at EverBank Stadium today. The Jaguars have now won six consecutive home games dating back to November 16, 2025. The Jaguars lost their nine game regular season winning streak last week in Denver with their 20-13 loss to the Broncos.

The first quarter was a defensive battle, highlighted by the Jaguars sacking Patriots QB Drake Maye to force a fumble, which was recovered by NT DaVon Hamilton. But neither team put points on the board.

Early in the second quarter, Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence found WR Josh Cameron in the end zone for a 12 yard touchdown, followed by K Cam Little’s extra point, to put the Jags ahead 7-0. Soon after, it looked as though Maye had scrambled into the end zone for a 21 yard touchdown run, but that play was nullified by an offensive holding penalty by Patriots RT Morgan Moses. They did manage to score on a 35 yard field goal by K Andy Borregales, to narrow their deficit to 7-3. But the Jags extended their lead as Lawrence completed a 10 yard pass for WR Jakobi Meyers’ 25th career touchdown pass. That was also Lawrence’s 104th passing touchdown of his career, moving him past QB Blake Bortles for sole possession of second place on the Jaguars all-time list. QB Mark Brunell currently holds the team record with 144. After Little’s extra point, the Jags were up 14-3. The Patriots came close to scoring late in the second quarter, but Jaguars CB Travis Hunter had his first career interception, grabbing a pass by Maye intended for WR Efton Chism III in the end zone. The Jaguars gave Cam Little an opportunity to break his own NFL regular season record with a 70 yard field goal attempt, but it went wide right. The score remained 14-3 at the half.

Travis Hunter’s First Career Interception. (Photo Credit Arthur “Dell” Morgan)

On the Patriots first drive of the third quarter, Borregales attempted a 38 yard field goal, but it went wide right. Late in the quarter, Lawrence completed a 17 yard touchdown pass to WR Parker Washington, followed by Little’s XP, extending the lead to 21-3. As the Patriots took possession, Jaguars CB Jarrian Jones intercepted a Drake Maye pass intended for WR Kyle Williams. On the next play, RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. ran for a five yard touchdown. After another Little XP, the Jags were up 28-3 at the end of the third.

Early in the fourth quarter, Borregales redeemed himself with a 40 yard field goal, but the Pats remained down 28-6. The Jags added to their lead as RB Bhayshul Tuten ran for a 1 yard touchdown, and with Little’s extra point they finished the game up 35-6.

Trevor Lawrence finished with 182 passing yards and 3 TDs. Bhayshul Tuten led the Jaguars’ rushing with 73 yards and 1 TD. Jakobi Meyers was the leading receiver with 64 yards and 1 TD.

The Jaguars will be on the road for the month of October. They face the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday, October 4th at 1:00 p.m. Their next two games will be across the pond in London, where they’ll play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, October 11th at 9:30 a.m. EST at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Houston Texans on Sunday, October 18th at 9:30 a.m. EST at Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars have a bye for NFL Week 7, then return home to host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, November 1st at 1:00 p.m. at EverBank Stadium. Be sure to follow www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

Jacksonville

Jaguars Blowout the Browns 34-10

Published

4 weeks ago

September 13, 2026

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) beat the Cleveland Browns (0-1) 34-10 at EverBank Stadium today. The Jags scored early and often in this dominant victory over Cleveland, extending their winning streak to nine games, which is now the second-longest regular season winning streak in franchise history.

Browns QB Deshaun Watson entered this game 7-0 against the Jaguars. This was also his first game since October 20, 2024, when he ruptured his Achilles tendon. Watson’s first drive of the game was ended by a Foye Oluokun interception. The Jaguars first drive ended with a 30 yard touchdown pass by QB Trevor Lawrence to WR Parker Washington, with K Cam Little adding the extra point, to put the Jags ahead 7-0. The Jags added another score on their next drive, as Lawrence had his 100th career touchdown pass, a 4 yard completion to WR Josh Cameron, for Cameron’s first career TD reception. Little added the XP, to put the Jags up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Jaguars next possession in the second quarter ended with a 47 yard field goal by Little, extending the Jaguars lead 17-0. On the Browns’ next possession, the Jags forced a fumble by WR KC Concepcion Jr., which was recovered by DE Josh Hines-Allen. Five plays later, Lawrence later completed a 14 yard touchdown pass to TE Brenton Strange, followed by another Little extra point, as the Jags moved ahead 24-0, which remained the score at halftime.

The Jaguars’ first possession of the third quarter ended with another score, as Lawrence found WR Jakobi Meyers in the end zone, completing a 32 yard pass, followed by another XP by Little. The Jags now led 31-0. The Browns finally put points on the board on their next drive, with a 26 yard field goal by K Andre Szmyt, reducing the deficit to 31-3. Little added a 40 yard field goal, putting the Jags ahead 34-3 at the end of the quarter.

Nick Mullens entered the game at Quarterback for the Jags about midway through the fourth quarter. Trevor Lawrence left the game with a QB rating of 150.6, his highest ever. The Browns did manage a 46 yard touchdown pass by Watston to WR Denzel Boston just after the two-minute warning, followed by Szmyt’s XP, making the final score 34-10.

Trevor Lawrence finished with 245 passing yards and 4 TDs. Bhayshul Tuten led the Jaguars’ rushing with 66 yards. Parker Washington was the leading receiver with 83 yards and 1 TD.

Trevor Lawrence also became only the fourth player in NFL history to record at least 100 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns before turning 27 years old. The first three were Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Cam Newton.

Today’s game also marked the return of WR/CB Travis Hunter, who missed 10 games last season with a torn LCL.

The Jaguars’ stadium renovations also continue all season long, with the team playing in Orlando’s Camping World Stadium for the 2027 season. For an update on this construction project, visit https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdPBZU-BqKC/?stkn=a2lrcXViMmx0aWJ5.

The Jaguars head west to Denver to play the Broncos on Sunday, September 20th at 4:05 p.m. EST. They return to EverBank to play the New England Patriots on Sunday, September 27th at 1:00 p.m. Be sure to follow www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

Jacksonville

Jaguars Lose to the Bills 27-24 in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Published

9 months ago

January 11, 2026

Mike Brodsky

Jaguars vs. Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Florida National News) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (13-5) lost to the Buffalo Bills (13-5) 27-24 at EverBank Stadium today in the AFC Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs. The Jaguars finished with nine more victories than last season, but fans are still disappointed that the miracle season has come to an end.

On Jacksonville’s second drive of the game, QB Trevor Lawrence threw a pass intended for WR Parker Washington that was intercepted by Bills LB Shaq Thompson. A couple of plays later, Bills QB Josh Allen was tacked by Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen, and Allen went to the Bills’ blue tent to be evaluated for a concussion, but was cleared to return. On the fourth down, K Matt Prater kicked a 50 yard field goal to put the Bills on the board 3-0, which was the score at the end of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Trevor Lawrence completed a 3 yard touchdown pass to WR Brian Thomas Jr. and K Cam Little added the extra point, putting the Jaguars ahead 7-3. On the kickoff, the Jaguars benefited from a fumble by Bills RB Ray Davis that LB Devin Lloyd recovered. The Jaguars were on Buffalo’s 9 yard line when Trevor Lawrence tried to dive for a first down on 4th and 2, but came up a little short on the officials’ review. The Bills took possession and ended up scoring on Josh Allen’s two yard touchdown run, followed by Prater’s XP. The Jaguars managed to get into field goal position just before the half, but Cam Little missed a 54 yard field goal that hit the left upright, ending his streak of 20 consecutive field goals made, including a 67 yarder just last week which set the NFL outdoor record. The Bills were up 10-7 at halftime.

Matt Prater kicked a 47 yard field goal on the Bills’ first drive of the third quarter, extending their lead to 13-7. Cam Little redeemed himself with a 43 yard field goal on the Jaguars’ next drive, to narrow the Jags’ deficit to 13-10, which remained the score at the end of the third quarter.

Early in the fourth, Trevor Lawrence found Parker Washington in the end zone for a 6 yard touchdown pass, and after Cam Little’s XP, the Jags were ahead 17-13. But Josh Allen’s 15 yard touchdown pass to TE Dalton Kincaid, followed by Matt Prater’s XP, put the Bills up 20-17. The Jags responded with a 14 yard Lawrence touchdown pass to RB Travis Etienne Jr., and a Little XP, to put the Jaguars ahead 24-20. Josh Allen ran into the end zone for another Bills touchdown, followed by Prater’s XP with just over a minute left in the game, putting the Bills up 27-24. Trevor Lawrence threw a pass that was intercepted by Bills S Cole Bishop, effectively ending the season for the Jaguars.

Trevor Lawrence finished with 207 passing yards and 3 TDs. Travis Etienne Jr. led the Jaguars’ rushing with 67 yards. Parker Washington was the leading receiver with 107 yards and 1 TD. Today’s attendance was 70,250.

Today marked the Jaguars’ 17th playoff game in history. With today’s loss, they are now 5-3 in the Wild Card round, and 4-2 at home in the playoffs. Jacksonville beat the Bills in the 1996 AFC Wild Card round to win their first playoff game in franchise history.

The AFC Divisional Playoff schedule will be announced after the completion of this weekend’s playoff games. Be sure to follow www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.