Quentin Jammer Reveals He Played Multiple NFL Games While Drunk in 2011, Reflects on Personal Struggles
Former Chargers standout Quentin Jammer made headlines this week with a candid and unexpected revelation: during the 2011 NFL season, he played in multiple games while intoxicated.
Jammer, now 46, took to social media Monday night, opening up in a string of posts about some of the darker moments of his playing career. Among the most startling admissions, Jammer said he played "completely s--t faced drunk" in at least eight games during that 2011 season.
The former first-round pick didn’t stop there. As fans responded with questions and comments, Jammer continued to share, revealing that he’s now been sober for two years.
He traced the root of his drinking back to a difficult personal chapter-his divorce-saying it pushed him toward heavy alcohol use. His drink of choice?
Tequila or "good" bourbon.
In one particularly eye-opening reply, Jammer claimed he had "2 tequila bottles in my bag" at games, adding, "Man I drank whole game and all the way home." When challenged by fans or questioned about the choices he made, Jammer defended his actions by saying, “Trust me 100% of u all would've done the same.”
While the honesty stunned many, Jammer made it clear that his struggles weren’t entirely hidden from those around him. He said the Chargers organization was aware of what he was going through personally at the time. In fact, he spoke publicly about the emotional toll of his divorce in a 2012 interview, where he acknowledged that the off-field turmoil had impacted his performance.
“I would try to shake myself out of it, get the cobwebs out and just think,” Jammer said at the time. “But there were so many things to deal with, so much was going through my head.
I couldn't focus. I've always been a resilient guy.
You get knocked down, you jump back up. But I never thought I'd come out the end of this… The only thing you can think of is the bad [stuff].”
One game in particular stands out in Jammer’s memory: a 31-20 loss to the Chicago Bears on November 20, 2011. He told fans on social media that he was drunk during that game and that it was obvious. He also recalled a blown coverage during that contest, something he previously attributed to being "too mentally shot" to stay locked in.
As the night went on, Jammer seemed taken aback by some of the backlash his honesty drew online. In a follow-up post, he expressed frustration with critics, saying people ask athletes to be real, but then turn on them when they are.
Jammer spent 11 seasons with the Chargers after being drafted No. 5 overall in 2002. Known for his physical style and consistency in the secondary, he played 183 games in the NFL, notching 21 interceptions before wrapping up his career with the Denver Broncos in 2013.
His recent admissions shine a light on the often-unseen mental and emotional battles players face behind the scenes. While fans see the hits, the highlights, and the stat lines, stories like Jammer’s are a reminder that even the most physically tough athletes can be carrying heavy personal burdens.
Now sober and reflecting on his past with raw honesty, Jammer’s story isn’t just about what happened on the field-it’s about what it took to survive off of it.