Our Tyler Adams Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents – Melissa Russo (Mother), Darryl Sullivan (Stepdad), Brothers (Dylan, Donovan, and Darryl Jnr,), Family Background, Girlfriend (Sarah Schmidt), etc.
This memoir also unveils Tyler Adams’ Family Origin, hometown, Education (high school, college), etc. Not forgetting the Soccer midfielder’s Ethnicity, Lifestyle, Net Worth, and Salary Breakdown.
In a nutshell, this article is all about the Full History of Tyler Adams. This is the story of a boy who lived alone with his mum (with no Dad, sister, or brother) for the first 13 years of his life.
A boy who became more mature than his age due to the absence of his biological father.
We’ll tell the story of a soccer star who calls himself “the Grinder,” who dislikes swapping shirts, and thinks he is more like Ngolo Kante than Sergio Busquets.
At age 16, young Adams got an opportunity to play against Chelsea, and he shocked the world in that match.
He not only competed but scored a goal against a Chelsea team that has star names like Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.
Adams is not the kind of soccer player who goes in the box and scores headers. But, in that particular match, the 16-year-old kid did the unthinkable with his head – as shown here.
Preamble:
Our version of Tyler Adams begins by telling you notable info on his boyhood years.
Next, we break down the events that span his career, from the moment he scored his first senior goal.
Finally, we will tell you about the rise of the youngster who possesses a great mentality.
LifeBogger hopes to whet your autobiography appetite as you read Tyler Adams’ Biography. To begin doing that, let’s unveil this gallery of early life and formidable.
From Adams’ cute boyhood years to the moment of becoming a USMNT star, Tyler has indeed come a long way.
This superstar doesn’t care about the limelight — but he’s earning it anyway with his midfield bravery.
Tyler Adams is one of the most influential figures on the U.S. men’s national team. He is also a key midfielder for Leeds United, one of the English Premier League’s sleeping giants.
Yes, many soccer fans appreciate the soccer player’s mentality on the pitch. But not everyone has read a detailed version of Tyler Adams’ Biography, which is exciting.
So without further ado, let’s begin with the story of his amazing boyhood years.
Tyler Adams Childhood Story:
For Biography starters, his nicknames are “Ty” and “The Grinder.” His full names are; Tyler Shaan Adams. He was born on the 14th day of February 1999 to his mother, Melissa Russo, and an unknown biological father.
Here is little the and his Mum, Melissa Russo – at the time he was a toddler.
The Baller’s birthplace is Wappingers Falls, New York. To this date, Tyler Adams’ biological father is not known. However, he has a stepdad, in the person of Darryl.
TY is the only child born to his mother, Melissa Russo. Now, meet the persons Tyler Adams call parents.
Growing Up Years:
As the only child of his mother, Melissa Russo, Tyler Adams wasn’t only seen as the baby of the family.
In fact, he, as a child, considered himself the man of the house. From the onset, the members of Tyle Adams’ family consist of just him and his Mum, Melissa.
In the beginning, Melissa Russo raised her boy, Tyler, on her own. She was a single mother who did a lot to make ends meet.
With Melissa Russo being a single parent for a while, Tyler recognized the need to support her (early on) and to be the man of the house.
Giving his Mum a helping hand:
In those days, whenever it snowed, Tyler Adams won’t allow his Mum to do all the snow packing.
The brave boy would request for his own snow shovel to assist his Mum clear the driveway. In fact, young Adams was deemed too mature for his young age.
On other days, Tyler would always ask his Mum what she needed help with. Put simply, he was a hardworking boy who grew up quickly to become a man – in the absence of his Dad.
As a young boy, TY ensured he was the one who did most of the house chores. Here, the USMNT star speaks about his childhood years.
Tyler Adams Family Background:
In getting to know his first encounter with the larger members of his household (stepdad and brothers), let’s tell you what once transpired.
One day, while Tyler Adams was in a technology class at school, he was told to build a bridge. The Perfectionist, as many called him, wanted to make his bridge to be the best.
While he focused on increasing the strength of the bridge, a big white kid came over and walked to Tyler saying;
‘Are you Tyler Adams?’
The bridge builder responded; yes,… and Tyler was like… ‘and who the hell are you?‘ Then the kid said;
I think your mum is dating my dad.
Upon hearing that, Tyler Adam thought … what the f—?” In fact, a fight with the white kid almost started – on a lesser note. Then, Adams quickly checked with his mom to confirm if it was true.
The youngster found she was actually in a relationship with Darryl Sr, and it was going really well. Soon, Melissa Russo, Tyler, and Darryl Sr’s family began living together.
From a family of two to six:
Tyler Adams’ Stepfather, Darryl, arrived in his life when he was 13 years old. Before that, the youngster had no brother or sister.
At the age of 13, his life witnessed the biggest change, and he absolutely loved having a large family unit. Adams’ world increased from being a two-person family to one of six members.
Upon the arrival of Darryl’s family in his life, Tyler became the eldest of four stepbrothers – Darryl Junior, Dylan, and Donovan.
It is pertinent to note that there’s no “step prefix” with his family members whenever he talks about them. Now, meet Tyler Adams’ full family. This photo was taken during his RB Leipzig presentation.
As you already know, the USMNT star was born and raised by Melissa Russo, a single mother.
The other of Tyler Adams’ parents (his Dad) was absent during his upbringing. We have yet to ascertain why Melissa Russo separated from her son’s biological Dad.
Tyler Adams Family Origins:
The first thing to know about the 5 foot 9 Athlete is; that he possesses US nationality. Tyler Adams’ parents are US citizens. Because of his dark skin color, it is suggestive that Tyler might have African ancestry through his Dad.
Wappingers Falls in New York, United States, is where the USMNT star comes from. Here is a map to aid your understanding of Tyler Adams’ Family origins and the neighborhood he spent his childhood years.
Just a little note, the Town of Wappinger is home to the Wappinger Native Americans.
As stated by Wikipedia, Adams is the most notable soccer player from the town of Wappinger. This short clip tells you a bit about the hometown of the American soccer star.
Tyler Adams Ethnicity:
Melissa Russo, his Mum, is a White American. And Tyler Adams’ dark skin suggests his real Dad is likely to belong to the African American ethnic group.
Owing to the above premise, it is also a fact that Tyler Adams is part of a multicultural American ethnicity. Put simply, the USMNT star (through his parents) has mixed ancestry of more than one ethnic group.
Tyler Adams Education:
When TY was a freshman in high school, the future USMNT star played for Red Bull Academy.
As confirmed by his StepDad, Tyler Adams was an intelligent student at school. He never had issues reading his books and playing soccer as well as basketball. Here are words from Darryl Sullivan.
We have a photo below, which proves that Adams is a School Graduate. On the day Tyler made his graduation photo public, he wished his stepdad (Darryl) a happy Father’s Day.
The photo below confirms that Tyler Adams is an educated soccer player – a certified high school graduate.
Tyler Adams College:
Just a couple of weeks after TY graduated from high school, he began working on a college degree, even as his soccer career blossomed.
In the summer of 2017, Tyler Adams enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University to take online classes. Do you know?… his education at the university was part of a clause in his Red Bull contract.
Back in 2015, Tyler Adams’ mother negotiated a clause with the New York Red Bulls. It says that her son’s tuition would be reimbursed each time he passes his college exams.
Career Buildup:
The journey to becoming a soccer pro began when Tyler was six. It started in a neighborhood team, where he began honing his skills.
From a young age, Adams was driven by a passion for doing the extraordinary with the soccer ball. Back in the day, the difference between Tyler and any other player was his competitiveness.
Tyler Adams Biography – Soccer Story:
The year 2011 opened a new chapter in the life of the Wappinger native. Tyler Adams, at the age of 12, joined the Red Bulls Academy.
At first, he had no idea that a prestigious soccer academy like Redbull existed some miles away from his parent’s home.
He learned about RedBull when a family friend sent Tyler Adams’ Mum an email. The email reads that there was a Red Bull soccer academy that would be an ideal fit for her son.
The academy was 40 minutes from Tyler Adams’ house. This video tells you about his first experience at New York Red Bulls Academy.
Melissa Russo ensured her son never lacked soccer items like cleats and others. In addition, Tyler Adams’ Mum constantly pushed him to be brave on the field and have the necessary work ethic.
Early career experience:
Early on, Tyler Adams possessed a steely determination to become a pro, and he was better than the players in his age group.
From the onset, young Tyler began making his Mum proud from the moment he began collecting honors.
At the time he joined this Red Bull academy, he wasn’t eligible to drive. Tyler Adams’ Dad and Mum pledged their support on the grinding 70-mile drive.
This is the distance between his family home in Wappingers Falls and the New York Red Bulls training facility.
When he reached the driving age (16), Adams began making the grinding 70-mile drive to the Red Bull training facility (all by himself).
This kind of commute did define the strong work ethic he was known to have, even to this day.
Adams joined the Red Bulls Academy in 2011 and played with the under-13, under-14, and under-16 sides before turning professional.
To show how good he was for Red Bull, young Tyler got called by the United States U17 national team.
Tyler Adams Biography – Rise to Fame Story:
Progressing from the club’s academy into its senior squad wasn’t straightforward. Adams joined the club’s senior reserve team, The New York Red Bulls II. His biggest highlight while at the reserves was helping his team win the 2016 USL Cup Final.
Tyler Adams continued to have a meteoric rise in his early club career. Within his first year of signing with the New York Red Bulls senior team, he rose to become a regular with the USA junior national team.
Here are the praises he received from Bob Montgomery, the former New York Red Bull academy director.
A big milestone in his career came when U.S. Under-20 National Team head coach, Tab Ramos, selected Adams for the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
Tyler knew that competition was his opportunity to get to the US men’s national team.
The youngster made his country proud by helping the USA win the CONCACAF U-20 trophy for the first time.
With double wins from both his club and national youth team sides, the boy from Wappinger earned his promotion from Red Bull reserves to the senior team.
Senior Career Life:
Being the keyman in USA’s CONCACAF U-20 Championship victory was the biggest turning point of Tyler Adams’ young career.
From the moment he held this great trophy, one thing became certain in his mind. Tyler expected a call to join the US Men’s national team.
To the joy of Tyler Adams’ family members, he earned his first cap for the USMNT on the 14th of November, 2017.
The youngster played alongside Weston McKennie, who scored the goal against Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal in a 1–1 draw. About playing for the USMNT, Tyler once said this.
Adams’ success on the national level was replicated from the club side of things. In 2018, he helped the New York Red Bulls win the MLS Supporters Shield. That was followed by a January 2019 transfer to the German Bundesliga team, RB Leipzig.
When he joined the German outfit, Gregg Berhalter had taken command of the USMNT. Although Adams wasn’t yet a starter, he, alongside Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Captain Cristian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Antonee Robinson, etc, helped the USMNT to the CONCACAF Nations League title.
RB Leipzig Success:
Some few injuries (which he sustained) couldn’t stop his progress with the German team. Adams’ gigantic return saw him become RB Leipzig’s unlikeliest of hero.
Did you know?… Adams scored the crucial goal that guided Leipzig into their first-ever Champions League semifinal. The German club achieved that just 11 years after it was officially formed.
More importantly, Adams, along with (Nkunku, Silva, Szoboszlai, Angelino, Poulsen, Josko Gvardiol, etc.) helped RB Leipzig to win the 2021–22 DFB-Pokal trophy.
Here is the American holding the greatest trophy in Germany’s knockout football.
At the time of writing Tyler Adams’ Biography, he has just reunited with Jesse Marsch at Leeds United.
In case you didn’t know, Marsch was the coach who handed Tyler a senior career debut with New York Red Bulls. Jesse Marsch also coached Adams while he was at RB Leipzig.
Making a statement in Qatar:
More importantly, Tyler Adams hopes to make a big statement at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Wappinger native hopes that the greatest soccer tournament will earn him a deserved transfer to one of the biggest clubs in Europe. This video tells you everything about Tyler’s World Cup dreams.
The rest of Tyler Adams’ Bio, as we say, is now history. Having taken you through the journey of his career, we’ll use the next section to unveil factual details of his love life.
Who is Sarah Schmidt?
For starters, she is Tyler Adams’ Girlfriend. Sarah is very likely to be Adams’ wife-to-be.
About when they started dating, the first signs were shown in April 2019 – a time when Tyler and Sarah’s photos first appeared in the public domain.
At that time, Adams played his soccer with RB Leipzig.
Judging by her surname, it is likely that one or both of Sarah Schmidt’s parents are likely to be German. The fact that she calls New Hampshire her home on Instagram implies her family might be based in the US.
Despite that, Sarah Schmidt loves Germany, and she (as shown below) is a big fan of Oktoberfest.
In case you didn’t know, Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival, held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Sarah Schmidt is one reason Tyler found it less difficult to settle in Germany.
She is super-supportive, one who is willing to put her life on hold in other to follow Tyler anywhere his career leads him. Sarah Schmidt was there when her boyfriend celebrated the DFB-Pokal trophy.
In this video, Tyler Adams told the world about persons he is grateful to, including Sarah Schmidt.
Personal Life:
Who is Tyler Adams?
This section of Tyler Adams’ Biography explains his off-pitch personality. First things first, the Leeds United and USMNT star wants you to know this.
Asides from soccer, Tyler does find time to watch other sports like ice hockey. Adams also attends NBA games and launch events.
The USMNT star joins 34 percent of Americans who watch the NFL. Speaking about his favorite NFL Star, the name Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr rings a bell.
Regarding the hockey team Tyler Adams supports, our research show he is a huge fan of the New York Rangers.
Here, Tyler Adams and Darryl Sullivan (his kid brother) just attended one of the Rangers games at Madison Square Garden.
To this day, Tyler Adams’ favorite Food is still unknown. But in recent times, the USMNT star once gave fans something to think about. This Giant meat pie was cooked up for Tyler’s consumption at an open German restaurant.
Hates to Swap shirts:
Adams doesn’t like the whole swapping shirts thing – especially after matches.
Whenever TY steps out on the pitch and looks at his opponents, his mind whirrs about how he can take advantage of his opponent. The truth is, the names and reputations of Tyler’s opponents mean little to him.
The empty walls of Tyler Adams’ house are a testament to his ideology. The wall in his home bears no signed shirts of other soccer players.
He isn’t proud about being one of the most influential figures on the USMNT and a key midfielder for Leeds United.
Tyler Adams Lifestyle:
In this Biographical section, you’ll get to know some of the things the USMNT star spends his money on.
First, let’s tell you what holiday life means for Tyler Adams. Together with his girlfriend, they love to visit Interlaken, a traditional resort town in central Switzerland.
Tyler Adams Car:
Sometime in 2021, the 5 ft 9 midfielder took a photo pose with his Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Tyler Adams’ turbocharged 4-cylinder car has a Sporty-looking bodywork, spacious inside, and a generous cargo room.
Tyler Adams Family Life:
The bond that links his girlfriend (Sarah), stepdad, and brothers is definitely not one of blood. But one that shows deep respect and love for each other.
Now, let’s discuss the close relationship between Tyler Adams’ family members. We’ll start with Darryl.
Tyler Adams Father:
As the USMNT star once said, Darryl is the man who changed his life forever.
You see these two best friends in the photo below, it never gets to a point where they (Tyler and Darrly) grow tired of each other’s company. Here is a photo showing both Stepdad and son acting like best friends.
Adams always has time for a chat with his Stepdad, who never stops giving him career advice.
Also, to note, he does find time to vacation with his stepdad and biological mum. Both Tyler, Darryl, and Melissa love this experience of having nature’s peace flowing into them.
Tyler Adams Mother:
No one knows the Soccer star more than Melissa Russo, the woman he first loved. For more than a decade, Tyler Adams and his Mum lived alone.
As many would say, being a single parent is twice the work and twice the stress. From the onset, Tyler Adams has vowed to make life easy for his Mum.
Melissa Russo once revealed the moments that make her most emotional. It wasn’t when her son (Tyler) got all the awards for being the best player for his age group and senior team.
Rather, she cries when she sees her son singing the USA national anthem with his hands on his chest. Here are Melissa Russo’s words.
Tyler Adams’ Mum is the type who always tells her son not to forget where he comes from. Similar to Neco Williams, it doesn’t matter how rich and famous he has become. Melissa Russo would always text Tyler saying,
‘Hey son, you’re still that punk-ass kid that I remember, who I gave nuggies to.’
This is Melissa saying that when Tyler gets too high, his family (especially her) would be there to humble her quickly.
And whenever he is low or down, she and Darryl will be there to get him back to the middle ground.
Tyler Adams Siblings (Brothers):
From what it seems, the USMNT midfielder has no sister. And from left to right, we have the following members of Tyler Adams’ family.
They are; Darryl, Tyler himself, Donovan, Dylan, Darryl, and Melissa Russo, his Mum. Now, let’s provide factual details about Tyler Adams’ Siblings.
Darryl Sullivan:
To start with, he is the firstborn child to Darryl and a stepson to Melissa Russo. Darryl Junior was born in Wappingers Falls, NY. From childhood, Darryl Sullivan (a 6 foot 3 American) is a versatile Athlete.
Tyler Adams’s stepbrother started as a soccer player. Then, he ventured into basketball before finally settling with his favorite sport, American football.
At the moment, Darryl Sullivan plays as an Offensive Lineman for the Robert Morris Colonials football team. This is a football team for Robert Morris University, located in Pennsylvania.
Donovan Sullivan:
Being a staunch Chelsea fan and having Didier Drogba as his Idol is the first thing to know about him. From what we’ve also gathered, Donovan Sullivan is a professional footballer. He once had an unforgettable meeting with his Blues Idol in 2016.
Dylan Sullivan:
Just like Donovan and his stepbrother, he is also a professional footballer. Dylan Sullivan is a Defender who (as of 2022) plays for Clemson Tigers men’s soccer team – from Clemson University.
Tyler Adams’ brother (Dylan) was among those who won the AAC Men’s Soccer and NCAA Division Championships (in 2020 and 2021).
Tyler Adams Uncle:
On the 28th of February, the year 2014, TY published this photo of his relative. The caption on his Instagram reveals the person (pictured below) is Tyler Adams’ Uncle, a brother to his biological father.
Both family members appear to be quite close, and it seems his uncle had a wedding on this day.
Untold Facts:
In the concluding phase of Tyler Adams’ Biography, we’ll provide more information about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.
Tyler Adams Salary Breakdown (Leeds United):
| TENURE | Tyler Adams Salary breakdown |
|---|---|
| Per Year: | £2,083,200 |
| Per Month: | £173,600 |
| Per Week: | £40,000 |
| Per Day: | £5,714 |
| Every Hour: | £238 |
| Every Minute: | £3.9 |
| Every Second: | £0.06 |
How rich is the USMNT Midfielder:
Where Tyler Adams’ family comes from (Wappinger), the average person makes around $91,000 annually. Such a person would need 22 years and nine months to earn his salary at Leeds United.
Since you started viewing Tyler Adams‘ Bio, this is what he earned with Leeds.
Tyler Adams FIFA:
There is a reason he bears the nickname “The Grinder.” It is because Tyler does the dirty job and his work rate, tenacity, and positioning are incredible.
Adams, like Swiss footballer Denis Zakaria, is a modern-day Defensive midfielder – both in real life and at FIFA. His greatest soccer assets remain his stamina, acceleration, agility, jumping, and balance.
Tyler Adams Religion:
Melissa Russo, his Mum, raised him in adherence to Christianity practices. Put simply, Tyler Adams’ religion is Christianity. As part of his personality, the US soccer midfielder keeps his religious practice private.
Born on a special day:
Adams joins the likes of top footballers whose parents had them on St Valentine’s day. A few of these names are; Angel Di Maria, Christian Eriksen, Edinson Cavani, and Lucas Hernandes.
Wiki Summary:
This table breaks down our content on Tyler Adams’ Biography.
| WIKI ENQUIRIES | BIOGRAPHY ANSWERS |
|---|---|
| Full Name: | Tyler Shaan Adams |
| Nickname: | "Ty", "Grinder" |
| Date of Birth: | 14th day of February 1999 |
| Place of Birth: | Wappinger, New York, United States |
| Biological Mother: | Melissa Russo |
| Biological Father: | Unknown |
| Step Father: | Darryl Sullivan |
| Step Brothers: | Donovan, Dylan, and Darryl |
| Girlfriend: | Sarah Schmidt |
| Nationality: | United States |
| Ethnicity: | African American |
| Family Origin: | Wappinger |
| Height: | 5 feet 9 inches OR 175 cm |
| Religion: | Christianity: |
| Playing position: | Defensive Midfield, Central Midfield |
| Hobbies: | Basketball |
| Zodiac Sign: | Aquarius |
| Net Worth: | 4.5 million pounds (2022 figures) |
| Agent: | YMU Group |
EndNote:
“Ty” as he is nicknamed, was born on Saint Valentine’s day in 1999 to his Mum, Melissa Russo, and an unknown biological father.
Tyler Adams’ birthplace is Wappingers Falls, New York, United States. The American soccer star is the only child of his single mother, Melissa Russo.
In the absence of a biological Dad, Young Adams matured quickly to be the man of the house. He spent his childhood years in Wappinger Falls, New York.
At the age of 13, Tyler Adams met his Stepfather, Darryl Sullivan. At that time, he became the oldest of four stepbrothers – Donovan, Dylan, and Darryl Junior.
Judging by his skin color, Tyler Adams appears to have a trace of African ancestry. And the American soccer player is part of the African American ethnic group.
Young Adams (who set a good example for his brothers) rose through the age groups of the New York Red Bulls academy.
Adams’ early career success involves him winning the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. This feat earned TY a call to join the US Men’s national team.
In 2019, Adams decided to move abroad. He played alongside Ilaix Moriba and Hee-chan Hwang in an RB Leipzig team that won the 2021–22 DFB-Pokal.
While with RB Leipzig, the youngster was known to have sparked a relationship with Sarah Schmidt. She is Tyler Adams’ girlfriend and, possibly, his wife-to-be.
As I conclude on writing his life story, the midfielder and fellow USMNT star, Brenden Aaronson are part of a Jesse Marsch Leeds setup. Tyler is also a key member of the USA national team side, captained by Walker Zimmerman. He hopes to make a big statement at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Appreciation Note:
Thank you for taking the time to read LifeBogger’s version of Tyler Adams’ Biography.
Our team strives for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver you the North American soccer stories. Tyler Adams Bio is a product of LifeBogger’s American soccer players collection.
For errors, commissions, or corrections in this memoir, please reach us via comment. On another note, please tell us what you think about the youngster who grew to become his team’s captain at a young age.
Aside from Tyler’s Life story, we’ve got other interesting soccer stories for you. The story of Clint Dempsey and Kellyn Acosta will surely excite your autobiography appetite.
Hale Hendrix
Hi there! I am Hale Hendrix, a passionate football enthusiast and writer dedicated to uncovering the untold stories of footballers' childhood and biography. With a deep love for the beautiful game, I have spent countless hours researching and interviewing players to bring to light the lesser-known details of their lives.
