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Colts Sign DT Adetomiwa Adebawore to $35 Million Contract Extension

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For a player once considered a trade chip ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline, Adetomiwa Adebawore is now locked in as a cornerstone of the Indianapolis Colts’ future. The team announced Tuesday that the 25-year-old defensive tackle has agreed to a two-year contract extension worth up to $35 million, keeping him in Indianapolis through the 2028 season, as reported by USA Today and CBS Sports.

The deal includes a $13 million signing bonus and $22.5 million in new money through next season, according to CBS Sports, effectively ending speculation that the Colts might move him before the trade deadline. Adebawore had been in the final year of his rookie contract and was viewed as a potential trade candidate, but Indianapolis instead chose to invest in him as a foundational piece while the franchise rebuilds, colts.com reported.

COLTS Make a BIG Move! Adetomiwa Adebawore Gets $35 Million Extension

From Special Teams to $35 Million

Adebawore’s path to this payday began when the Colts drafted him in the fourth round in 2023, banking on his rare combination of size and speed to overcome the physical disadvantages he faced in the NFL. At 6-foot-2 and 282 pounds, he ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, the fastest ever recorded for a player of his size, according to USA Today. The team initially envisioned deploying him at both defensive end and defensive tackle, but under former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, Adebawore averaged only 134 defensive snaps per season over his first two years, stuck behind veterans outside and DeForest Buckner inside, who played roughly 80% of the snaps when healthy.

“I feel like it’s always frustrating for a young player,” Adebawore said last week, according to USA Today. “From my rookie year, I always wanted to play. I feel like every player should be frustrated when they’re not playing, because you work so hard. Whenever you have an opportunity, you’ve got to make the most of it.”

Everything changed in 2025 when Buckner suffered a season-ending neck injury. Given a chance to play, Adebawore tied for second on the team with four sacks while taking 548 snaps, proving he could handle a larger role. This season, even while playing behind Buckner for the first seven games, he had already accumulated four sacks, eight quarterback hits and two batted passes. Through eight games in 2026, he has matched his career-best total of four sacks from the entire 17-game 2025 slate, while adding 19 tackles and two pass breakups, CBS Sports reported.

“I Wanted to Be Here”

When asked why he chose not to test free agency in January, Adebawore’s answer was direct. “I wanted to be here,” he said, according to colts.com. “Carlie came up to me and we went through the negotiations, and I felt very comfortable with the situation.”

“You got to take advantage of your opportunities. I started off just really on special teams, not really getting a lot of play time, and just put my head down, continued to work and practice scout teams going against the starting offensive line. You know, and it’s all paid off, so I continue to work, you know, to just you know keep pushing no matter how it’s looking.” — Adetomiwa Adebawore

When the pen met paper, Adebawore said his first thoughts weren’t about the money or the years, but about the people who helped him reach the moment. “The first thing I thought about was my mom and dad and all their support and all the people that kind of poured into me, you know, for this game and just my life in general,” he said. “From, you know, just growing up as a kid, high school, my teammates, my friends, my coaches, just people around me supporting me, so it means a lot.”

The timing matters. The Colts face a difficult season after trading defensive cornerstone DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers, and with guard Quenton Nelson also leaving for Seattle, the team must maintain strong leadership to keep players focused for the rest of the year. Adebawore hopes his extension sets a standard for work among his teammates during this uncertain stretch.

Colts Sign DT Adetomiwa Adebawore to $35 Million Contract Extension

A Piece of the Rebuild Puzzle

The deal comes at a critical time for the franchise. The Colts recently traded Buckner to San Francisco and Nelson to Seattle, moves that signal a total reconstruction started by owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon’s decision to fire general manager Chris Ballard, USA Today reported. Irsay-Gordon plans to conduct a wide-ranging search for a new general manager, and that search could include a change in the coaching staff, though head coach Shane Steichen’s staff remains untouched so far.

Signing Adebawore carries some risk given that the decision-makers who will ultimately shape the roster aren’t in place yet. But the investment signals that Indianapolis views the defensive tackle as essential to the rebuild. “It’s been exciting to see his growth since his rookie year,” Steichen said last season, according to USA Today. “Him winning the one-on-one pass rush stuff, taking on double teams, the relentless effort, effort going after the football, going after the quarterback. So, I’m excited for him moving forward.”

Why the Colts Just Gave Adetomiwa Adebawore a $25 Million Extension

Defensive line coach Marion Hobby has long seen the potential despite Adebawore’s lack of prototypical size. “He might be short, but he’s not a little man,” Hobby said. “He’s got big old hands, he’s strong, he’s wide. He’s probably been told that all his life, and that might be a little chip.” Hobby also noted his playmaking ability: “Boy, you see him, he can turn people, he has power, he works the edges, his motor runs.”

With the extension locking him in through 2028, Adebawore now has job security as the Colts undergo their biggest organizational change in recent years. Whether the incoming general manager shares the current staff’s enthusiasm for the 25-year-old remains the open question hanging over Indianapolis as the team looks toward a rebuilt future.

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