Mayor Eric Adams will add “former” to the front of his title on Jan. 1.

In 2022, Adams promised to bring “swagger” back to a city that was crushed by a global pandemic. He was sworn in as the 110th mayor of New York City surrounded by thousands in Times Square, relishing in the start of a new year and administration.

"Our government has been dysfunctional for far too long and it created its crisis long before COVID," Adams said in his first address to the city on Jan. 1, 2022.

The former NYPD captain branded himself as the “get stuff done” mayor. Crime was his first target – four years later he has data to back up that accomplishment. At one of his final press briefings on Monday morning, Adams cited a record low number of shootings, with the removal of 25,000 guns off city streets since he took office.

“2025 is shaping up to be the year with the lowest number of shootings in New York City’s recorded history," the mayor said.

His tenure included navigating a migrant crisis and making progress on the housing shortage by passing the City of Yes legislation that will create over 80,000 new homes and invest $5 billion in housing and infrastructure. He also helped the economy rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing jobs and opportunity back to the city.

He also made progress on rat mitigation efforts by containerizing majority of trash.

"When you look at the record on those two issues, on education and public safety, Eric Adams didn't fare so poorly. But the turmoil inside really detracted from the record," said Christopher Malone, a political analyst and associate provost and Farmingdale State College.

By 2023, pillars of his administration began to crumble under the weight of a corruption probe. Homes of his inner circle were raided by FBI agents. By 2024, his political career turned into a legal firestorm when he became the first sitting mayor in city history to be indicted on federal corruption and conspiracy charges.

At the start of his final year in office, the newly inaugurated Trump administration ordered the Department of Justice to drop the charges.

The damage was already done, Adams' approval rating dipped to a record low of 20%, and he was denied matching funds, ultimately diminishing his chances at a second term.

“The headline might be corruption and scandal. Eric Adams will be remembered as a very complicated figure," said Malone, "there was enormous potential, but he didn't live up to the expectations of his potential."

Adams has not publicly announced what his next move will be when he leaves office this week but has noted that he has several enticing offers.