Former NFL Receiver Leaves Colorado Ultimate Frisbee Team for Pickleball

Colorado's Ultimate Frisbee Association team, the Colorado Summit, made a splash in February when it revealed it had signed former NFL wide receiver Rodney Adams to a contract for the upcoming season.

"The Summit has an incredible fan base and team spirit. I’m excited to bring my NFL experience to this dynamic sport and connect with Colorado’s passionate sports community," Adams said in an announcement of his signing.

Adams, who lives in Colorado, later said he first came across Ultimate on Instagram, then decided to play it professionally. “I just saw a bunch of people running, jumping, catching frisbees, and thought, that’s kinda like football,” he told a UFA writer.

However, Adams recently asked out of his UFA contract so that he can join the Pro Pickleball Association, according to Summit head coach Tim Kefalas.

Adams was drafted in 2017 by the Minnesota Vikings and also signed by the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and the New York Jets. He was set to be the first NFL player to play for the UFA.

Adams and the PPA could not be reached for comment.

This isn't the first pickle the Summit has found itself in this offseason.

In February, the National Women's Soccer League's nine-figure franchise in Denver announced a handful of voting choices for the name of the team coming in 2026. One of the five provided options was Colorado Summit FC, which would duplicate the name of the state's UFA team. A spokesperson for the NWSL in Denver later said the franchise was still early in the naming process, including looking into possible trademark issues.

“I think it would be a little bit confusing if there were multiple sports entities in town that were the Colorado Summit," Kefalas told Westword earlier this month. "We're not the biggest mainstream sport, but we're definitely growing and building out some of that awareness.”

The Summit is currently in preseason; the regular season opener, a doubleheader with women’s professional ultimate team the Colorado Alpenglow, will take place on April 26 at Marv Kay Stadium in Golden on the Colorado School of Mines campus.