Quentin Jammer Opens Up About Playing Drunk During 2011 NFL Season: A Raw Look at Life Behind the Facemask
Former Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer, a mainstay in San Diego’s secondary for over a decade, pulled back the curtain on a deeply personal chapter of his career Monday night. In a series of candid social media posts, the 46-year-old revealed that he played multiple games during the 2011 season while intoxicated - a startling admission that sheds light on the hidden struggles some athletes face behind the scenes.
“True story,” Jammer wrote. “In 2011 I played completely s-t faced drunk in at least 8 games.”
That season, Jammer was in the midst of his 10th year with the Chargers - a veteran presence on a defense that leaned heavily on his physicality and experience. But as he now reveals, his off-field life was unraveling, and the effects bled into Sunday afternoons.
Jammer went on to share that he was dealing with a painful divorce at the time, and alcohol became his escape. When asked by fans what he drank, he mentioned a preference for tequila or “good” bourbon - and not just casually. He claimed he had “2 tequila bottles in my bag” during games and admitted, “Man I drank whole game and all the way home.”
It’s the kind of revelation that forces you to look beyond the stat sheet. Jammer was still suiting up, still lining up across from top receivers, still trying to do his job - but mentally and emotionally, he was in a different place entirely.
According to Jammer, the Chargers were aware that he was going through a rough patch. In fact, he had spoken about the toll of his divorce back in a 2012 interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune. At the time, he didn’t mention alcohol, but he did speak openly about how difficult it had been to focus on football.
“I would try to shake myself out of it, get the cobwebs out and just think,” Jammer said then. “But there were so many things to deal with, so much was going through my head.
I couldn’t focus… 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 stood out to him - a 31-20 loss to the Bears on November 20, 2011. Jammer admitted he was drunk during that game and told fans on social media, “u could definitely tell.” He blew a coverage that day, and while he told the Union-Tribune at the time that he was “too mentally shot,” the recent comments suggest that alcohol was also in the mix.
Now two years sober, Jammer seems to be in a different place - one where he’s willing to share the darker moments of his journey. But not everyone welcomed his honesty. Some social media users criticized his posts, prompting a fiery response from the former first-round pick.
“Funny s**t abt this app,” he wrote. “Ppl want u to engage and be real but as soon as u r here come the wanna be cool free thinkers to try and ruin my show!
… If I wanna tell yall parts of my life, I will. Don’t wanna hear.
Block, mute, idgaf just get the F**k on somewhere.”
Jammer’s NFL career spanned 12 seasons - 11 with the Chargers, and one final year in Denver. He played in 183 games and recorded 21 interceptions, known more for his physical, press-heavy style than flashy takeaway numbers. He was a cornerstone of the Chargers’ secondary during the 2000s and helped anchor some of the team’s better defensive units.
But this latest chapter - raw, unfiltered, and deeply human - reminds us that even the most durable players can carry invisible burdens. Jammer’s story isn’t just about what happened on the field in 2011. It’s about what happens when the game collides with real life, and how the toughest battles aren’t always between the lines.