Adetomiwa Adebawore didn’t have to wait long to find out where he stood in Indianapolis.
After the Colts moved DeForest Buckner, Adebawore suddenly had a clearer path into the starting lineup. But there was still plenty of uncertainty around him, with trade chatter swirling before the Nov. 10 deadline and the possibility that another team could come calling for interior pass-rush help.
Then Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon stepped in and changed the conversation.
Would Adebawore be interested in an extension in Indianapolis?
“Carlie has a belief in me, this organization has that belief in me,” Adebawore said. “I’m out there to prove everybody right.”
That question turned into a two-year deal after talks between the team and Adebawore’s agent, Kenny Zuckerman. The extension includes a $13 million signing bonus, $22 million in new money before 2027 and a chance for Adebawore to earn $35 million through the 2028 season.
So much for the idea that he might be on the move.
Irsay-Gordon clearly views Adebawore as part of the next wave in Indianapolis, and the move fits the broader picture of her growing influence on the franchise. She fired general manager Chris Ballard two weeks ago, setting off a new chapter that will be shaped by her decisions. A new general manager is coming, and while assistant general manager Ed Dodds is handling Ballard’s responsibilities for now, the Adebawore extension made the power structure obvious.
The owner has made a habit of building ties with players, and Adebawore said that matters to him.
“The kind of imprint Carlie has on the organization is something I’ve really noticed over my four years, something I really want to be a part of,” Adebawore said.
For Adebawore, the deal is the payoff for a steady climb. Drafted in the fourth round in 2023, he averaged just 134 snaps per season across his first two years. Then he earned a bigger role with a four-sack season and a long run as a starter when Buckner was out a year ago.
“I started off on special teams, not really getting a lot of play time, and just putting my head down, continued to work on scout team going against the offensive line,” Adebawore said. “It all paid off.”
This season, he’s made the most of the opening. Adebawore leads the Colts with four sacks and eight quarterback hits in 2026, production that helped convince Irsay-Gordon he belongs in the long-term plan for a new defense.
“You saw it going into this year, the way he was rushing the passer and winning one-on-ones,” Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen said. “He's an incredible worker, a great human, everything that you want to stand for in a football player.
The character, the preparation, consistency on how he works, the relentless effort to get after the quarterback has been phenomenal. I'm happy for him that he got that done.”
Steichen also pointed to Adebawore’s market value as another reason the Colts moved quickly.
“Shoot, he's viewed by a lot of these teams as a top guy,” Steichen said. “Obviously, to get him locked in here for the future of the Colts is awesome.”
For Adebawore, the first reaction was simple: gratitude.
“The first thing I thought about was my mom and dad, all their support,” Adebawore said. “It means a lot.”
And now it means he’s staying in Indianapolis, with the Colts betting that his rise is only beginning.
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