BIOGRAPHY
Adam Pankey was born February 2, 1994, in Hamilton, Ohio. He is an outside linebacker in the NFL.
Adam Pankey attended Hamilton (Ohio) High, lettering three years in football, two years in basketball and three year in track and field. He was selected first-team All-Greater Miami (Ohio) area three times and Division I third-team All-Ohio as a senior. Pankey played guard and tackle.
Pankey played in 45 games with 36 starts while playing guard and tackle over four seasons at the University of West Virginia. Pankey appeared in eight games on special teams and as a reserve offensive lineman as a redshirt freshman in 2013. He was part of a line that blocked for RB Charles Sims to run for 1,095 yards and 11 TDs on 208 attempts (5.3 avg.), the first 1,000-yard rusher for West Virginia in four seasons. He saw the first action of his career in an upset win vs. Oklahoma State and helped open holes for Sims to total 24 carries for 154 yards (6.4 avg.) and a TD at Texas Christian.
Pankey started 12 games at G as a junior in 2015. He blocked for a rushing attack that featured RB Wendell Smallwood and his 1,519 rushing yards with nine TDs on 238 carries (6.4 avg.). Pankey protected Howard as he completed 221 of 403 passes (54.8 pct.) for 3,145 yards and 26 TDs with 14 INTs. Pankey blocked for an offense that produced 601 total yards vs. Maryland and opened holes for Smallwood to score a TD and gain 147 yards on 22 attempts (6.7 avg.). He was part of a line that blazed the path for three 100-yard rushers at Kansas as the offense averaged 7.2 yards per play.
Pankey made 11 starts in 12 games played as a senior in 2016, with two of the starts coming at gaurd. He was named second-team All-Big 12 by The Associated Press and ESPN.com, recognized as third-team All-Big 12 by Phil Steele's College Football and took part in the East-West Shrine Game in January 2017. Pankey blocked for an offense that gained 6,312 yards, including 2,969 rushing yards on 574 attempts (5.2 avg.), and ranked second in the Big 12 in sacks allowed. He protected QB Skyler Howard as he threw for 3,328 yards and 26 TDs of 247-of-404 passing (61.1 pct.). Pankey blocked for Howard as he added 10 rushing TDs and 463 yards on 142 carries (3.3 avg.) and opened holes for RB Justin Crawford, who gained 1,184 yards and four TDs on 163 attempts (7.3 avg.).
Pankey was signed to the Packers' practice squad on Sept. 3, 2017, and then was signed to the active roster on Sept. 13, 2017. Pankey spent 16 weeks of his rookie season on Green Bay's active roster, appearing in one game (at Detroit). The Green Bay Packers signed Adam Pankey to the active roster from the practice squad on Dec. 8, 2018 and saw playing time the next day in a 34–20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. On August 31, 2019, Pankey was waived by the Packers.
On September 2, 2019, Pankey was signed to the Tennessee Titans practice squad. On September 21, 2019, Pankey was signed by the Green Bay Packers off the Titans practice squad. He was waived on December 9, 2019. On December 10, 2019, Pankey was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins. On March 17, 2021, Pankey re-signed with the Dolphins.
On September 21, 2022, Pankey was signed to the New York Jets practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on January 7, 2023.